Auramarina's Story
by RomanticCreator
Summary: PREVIOUSLY TITLED "THE 67TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES". This is the story of what would happen if Finnick didn't fall in love with Annie. Instead, he falls in love with someone totally different. Told from my own character's POV. Please give it a chance. Enjoy! :D
1. Part 1: Prologue: Finnick Odair: Legend

The entire time I watched the 65th Hunger Games, I was awed. Finnick Odair came out on top. I didn't expect him not to. He was incredibly skilled with the golden trident he was given, and he was extremely deceptive. He led the other Career Tributes to believe that he was on their side, when he was the real killer. He's not just a killer, though. He's a real, genuinely kind and caring person who did what he needed to survive. He made it all look so easy. And maybe it was for him. But that was two years ago. Now, it's time for the 67th Annual Hunger Games.


	2. Part 1: My Family

"Aury! Aury! Auramarina, come down here!" I hear my mother yelling for me. I pull away from my writing and go downstairs to see what she want. The smell of the salty sea air is all around me.

"What?" I ask, harsher than intended. My mother, Seriema, is a caring person. She never calls unless it's absolutely neccessary.

"You need to help Lilitani get ready," she tells me. Lilitani, or Lily, is my younger sister.

She's thirteen. I'm sixteen. My brother, Heron, is seventeen. And my other brother, the oldest, Plover, is twenty now. He, unlike the rest of us, has escaped the anxiety of the reaping days. I envy him. Greatly. Reapings are the worst days.

Here in District 4, in the Games, you're a Career Tribute whether you like it or not. Careers are supposed to consider it an honor to be reaped. But I don't. None of my family does. Usually, if the name that's picked happens to be yours, someone will volunteer for you. Because they don't want you "soaking up all the glory". What glory? I have no idea.

District 4. Fishing. Water. And lots of it. I don't mind. Being practically born in the stuff, I'm naturally a good swimmer. But people say I'm better than the rest. I don't agree, but who am I to argue with them?

I nod to my mother and head back upstairs to Lily's room. I push open her door and see her little fingers fumbling with a blue ribbon around her back. She's wearing a light green dress with slightly puffy sleeves and she has her hair done up in a messy bun. Lily spots me in the mirror and turns around.

"Help?" she says with a small smile on her face.

"Sure, come here," I say back. She comes and I fasten the ribbon firmly around her waist, tying it in a neat bow. "There you go."

"Thanks, Aury," Lily thanks me. Lily looks at herself in the mirror, spinning around and twirling her dress out. Then she turns back around. "Where's your dress?"

I look down at myself. Huh. I guess I didn't get dressed like I thought I had. "I could have sworn on Odair's life that I put that dress on earlier," I mutter.

Lily gasps, with a little teasing tone. "Don't swear on Finnick Odair's life!" she cries. "He's too good-looking to die."

It's true. Finnick Odair is extremely good-looking. His hair is the color of a dark orange sunset, his skin is the perfect golden-tan, and his eyes... they're fascinating. They're the exact shade of the water just along the shoreline. Sea-green is what I call it. All that Finnick had, and yet, I must admit, I was never fatally attracted to him like some of the other girls I know.

Finnick is a bit of a legend in Panem. He won the 65th Hunger Games when he only fourteen, making him one of the youngest victors ever. He's seventeen now, and he's a mentor to the tributes from District 4. Lily always tell me, "_He's seventeen, Aury. He's the perfect age for you!" _

"Finnick certainly does have looks on his side, doesn't he?" I say jokingly.

"He does!" exclaims Lily. "He's like...like...a god!" Then she twirls around some more and fake faints onto her bed, laying her hand over her forehead. "Finnick Odair, what a perfect name."

"Absolutely perfect," I say, walking out the door.

I walk down the hallway back to my room. I open the door, shut it, and slide down to the floor, burying my face in my hands. Reapings. I hate them.

I get up and trudge over to my bed where my mother laid out my reaping day attire. A pale blue dress. Nice. I slip it over my head and let it drape down to my knees. I style my hair in a ponytail to the side of my head and tie a ribbon just as blue as my dress around it. Then I look in the mirror.

I look like my mother, when she was young. The pale blue of the dress make my tan skin appear to glow, and the blue of the ribbon brings out the gold color of my hair. My blue eyes seem to add to the pattern of my blue and gold theme. I shrug. Good enough.

As I walk down the stairs, I can hear my brothers talking. They sound concerned, so I stop midway on the steps and sit down to listen, undetected.

"I'm going to be chosen. I know it."

"You're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"Shut up, Plover! It's easier for you to say. You've finished all your reapings."

"Heron, just calm down. You won't be picked."

"Okay, but what if Lilitani gets chosen instead? She's the baby of the family, after all. And what if Auramarina gets picked, what then?"

"Don't worry about any of that. Odds are, someone will volunteer for you if any of you gets chosen. District 4's love the honor."

I stomp noisely down the rest of the stairs, signalling my presece. As soon as I step off the last step, Heron has me locked in a tight embrace. I try to squirm away, but it's no use. I'm a pretty slim person. Thankfully, though, the meat I do have on me is muscle.

"Aury, you're the best sister I've ever had. I love you to death," Heron says while rocking me back and forth in his embrace. He kisses my cheek and refuses to let go, even when I start kicking him in the shins. "We're all going to come home, right? We're all going to come home and be able to celebrate that we're safe for another year. Please say yes."

"Um..." I say, trying to breathe and pushing away Heron. "Yes?"

"Yes!" Heron shouts excitedly. Then he embraces me again, and this time, I don't try to push him away.


	3. Part 1: Unfortunately Reaped

We all walk down to the square where the reaping will take place, not in any hurry. My father, Rone, telling Lily that it will all be okay, my mother telling Plover to not intervene in any violent way if one of us gets reaped. Plover is an enormous guy and if he can intimidate a lot of people.

As for me, I walk, slowly and silently, with my hands at my sides. I look around and see that the other families are somewhat joyous and cheering and whooping like this is a parade. I shake my head at them. Fools. Idiots.

When we arrive at the square, Plover, my mother, and my father are all ushured into a seperate section away from the rest of us. I immediately take Lily's hand, which was balled into a tight fist, and put my other hand on Heron's shoulder. For the second oldest one in the family, he is terrfied of the reapings.

We walk over to where the Peacekeepers draw blood and stamp your fingerprints onto little sheets of paper with your name on it. I wince as the needle stabs my finger, and then continue on. I wait for Heron and Lily to finish. I always like to say a few last words to them before we're split up into out sections.

Heron plants both hands on my shoulders. "Listen up," he says. "If Lily gets chosen-"

"Volunteer?" I interupt.

"No," says Heron shaking his head. "Don't. That goes for you, too, Lily." Lily nods numbly. "I don't want you two helping each other out in this thing, okay? You won't be doing anyone a favor."

Lily and I nod. Heron has been the "responsible one" during reapings for the past two years. And he does a pretty good job at it. Heron pulls us both to him and hugs us. I wrap my free arm around his back.

"See you later, Heron," says Lily quietly. She walks off to her section towards the back.

"Well..." I say. "I'll see you when we get back, okay?" Heron nods and I turn to my section. I step reluctantly over the ropes dividing off the section of sixteen-year-olds.

I only stand there, rigid as a statue, for about a minute. Then Bella Blume steps onto the large platform in front of all of us and taps on the microphone. Bella, traditionally, is from the Capitol. The Capitol is like the central power of Panem. All the people from there have a ridiculous, hard to understand, accent. And they all dress like idiots. Bella, today, is wearing green. Green lipstick, green eyeliner, green eyeshadow, green dress, green shoes. On the platform with her is a few other Capitol officials, and the previous victor, Finnick Odair, of course.

"Good afternoon," she says louder than needed. "And Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor!"

A video comes on about the uprising of the districts, the anhilation of District 13, and how we now have the Hunger Games. I don't bother paying attention. I've heard this so many times. After the video finishes, Bella steps back up to the microphone.

"Wasn't that wonderful?" she asks cheerfully. I scoff at her. "Now...ladies first."

I take in a sharp breath. I look behind me for any signs of Lily. I see her. She's gone pale and her hands are back in her tight little fists. I turn my head back to Bella. She's waving her hand over the reaping ball like she's performing a magic trick. Then she dunks her hand in and pulls out a name. She carefully unfolds it and reads the unlucky name.

"Auramarina Marx!" is the name that comes out of her mouth.

_Oh, good, _I think. But then, what Bella just said fully sinks in. Auramarina Marx? That's me! No...this can't be happening! This just...this isn't real! This is _not _happening! I feel my jaw drop slightly. And I feel a hand on my shoulder, urging me toward to platform. A path has been formed for me and I have no choice but to walk down it, as bravely and with as much pride as I can muster.

"What a pretty name!" exclaims Bella as I walk to the platform. She see's me. "Oh, and what a pretty girl!" _Yeah, that means a lot coming from you, _I think bitterly.

I ascend the stairs with my head held high, trying to look like I'm honored. I even manage a weak smile. My smiles can always betray what I'm actually feeling.

"Traditionally, I am to ask if any volunteers would like to take Auramarina's place," Bella trills. "Any takers?"

No one steps forward. I see Lily. She looks like she's about to raise her hand and say she wants to, but I catch her eye and shake my head no. She casts her eyes down and stares at the ground.

"No?" says Bella. "Well, then. Auramarina, looks like you can have the spotlight all to yourself." I smile at Bella as best I can. "Now, the boys' names!" She starts for the boys' reaping ball, then stops short. "Oh! I almost forgot!" She comes back over to the microphone. "Well, to say this simply, I won't be picking from the boys' names this year!"

Murmurs of confusion ripple across the crowd as they all turn their heads to one another. I'm equally as surprised. What could she mean? Does she mean that I'll be the only tribute from District 4? That would be something new. It's not even a Quell, the special competition we have every twenty-five years.

"Now, I know this year is not a Quarter Quell," Bella begins, echoing my thoughts. "but, we at the Capitol have decided that this year, we would do something a little different." My heart stops. Enough with the suspense! "We've decided that one tribute from a district will be chosen from the reaping ball," Bella motions toward me. "and the other tribute shall be the previous victor. The very person who was to be training our tributes at this time."

The crowd roars in surprisement and confusion and happiness. I wonder if I heard Bella right. She said...one tribute is reaped. That's me, in this case. And the other will be...the previous victor? What? Without thinking, I turn my head to look at Finnick Odair.

"District 4, Finnick Odair!" Bella shouts over the microphone. I gasp. The whole of District 4 cheers as Finnick leaves his seat and stands next to me. He waves to them a little and smiles. Then he looks at me, locks his sea-green gaze on mine, the shock of what just happened palpable on his face.

For a moment, we just stare at each other. I can't believe this is happening. I'm meant to fight Finnick Odair? This has to be a joke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't kill him. I can't believe this... I just can't. Finnick extends his hand to me. I take it absentmindedly, and we shake. I hear Bella telling the crowd to go home and enjoy watching the 67th Annual Hunger Games, and then Finnick and I are whisked inside the Districthouse.


	4. Part 1: How old are you?

"Okay, now you two," says Bella to Finnick and I. "Just...maybe you should...get acquainted with each other. I'll be right back." And she's gone.

Finnick and I stand next to each other akwardly, not knowing what to say. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, Finnick says, "So...how old are you?"

"Sixteen," I tell him. I turn my head to him. He really is handsome.

"Hmm," he says thoughfully. "Two years older than me when I won."

"I know," I say. "You were really good that year."

"Thanks, um...Auramarina?" says Finnick.

"You can just call me Aury, if you want," I say, shrugging. "I know my name's kind of long."

"It's long, but it's pretty." Finnick looks at me, again, locking his gaze on mine. I stare right back at him. "Wow. You have...marvelous eyes."

"Oh...um...thanks," I say shyly.

"They look like the ocean. I mean, they're the perfect shade of blue," Finnick goes on.

"I guess," I say, shrugging again. I knew Finnick was a flirt. We had been around each other quite a lot when we were younger. I just never knew he was this good at complimenting.

He moves closer to me and runs his finger through my hair, almost trying to be seductive. I shy away from him. "You have beautiful hair, too," he tells me. "Girls with beautiful names are beautiful all around, huh?"

Finnick Odair is good-looking, yes, but I'm getting tired of being complimented. I shrink away from him and tug my hair out of his hands. "I guess we are," I almost hiss. He puts his arm around my shoulder. I shrug him off. "What's the point of being like this if we're only going to kill each other?"

"Oh, I didn't think you'd try to kill me," says Finnick casually.

"I will if the time comes," I say, putting my face right in his. He doesn't shy away like I would. "You can bet on that."

"I'm sure I'd lose that bet," Finnick says. He uses his seductive voice again.

"You seem very certain," I say. I whip my head around from him, making sure my hair hits him in the face. I hear him laugh a little, almost like he can't believe I didn't give in to his compliments.

Finnick goes back to his real voice. "It's too bad about this rule change thing, huh?" he says.

"For you it is," I say back. "It doesn't really matter for me. I would have been reaped anyway."

"Maybe," says Finnick. "but now, you have even tougher competition."

"I'm not too worried," I say mockingly.

Finnick turns his head to me. Then he smiles. "You know, you're not at all like the others."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well, you know," Finnick shrugs. "You don't seem to be flattered at all when I talk to you. Most girls your age would be swooning right now with me next to them." I laugh a little.

Just then, Bella comes in and takes us both by the hand. She leads us through a huge pair of double doors and I'm almost blinded by the crystals of the train station. It's more beautiful than anything I've ever seen. The crystals are the most brilliant shade of green and blue, and the train...Oh, the train. It's enormous. It's shiny. And it's the very thing that's going to ship me off to my death.

Bella steps on and beckons to Finnick and I. Finnick is about to step on, when he stops. He motions to me.

"Ladies first?" he says.

"Go on, then," I sneer at him jokingly. He lets out a small laugh and gets on. I look at Bella and see her about to keel over with laughter. I walk onto the train and am immediately awed. Once again.

The interior of the train is like nothing I've ever seen before. The main material the furniture is made out of is velvet. And there's a glass table right in the middle of what looks like a sitting room. I look around. There's a bunch of windows, open windows, that let in the smell of the salty ocean. I breathe in the scent and wish I wasn't here on this train.

"Come on, tributes," says Bella, waving us down a long hallway. She leads us down the hall to a smaller room. I'm guessing this is the dining room, considering the chairs and the tables and the plates. "Have a seat." I don't have time to react before Bella practically shoves me into one of the ornate chairs. She does the same to Finnick.

"Just stay there," says Bella, rushing off into another room. She returns, accompanied by an older woman with gray hair and gray eyes. "This is Mags Shearwater. She'll be your mentor this year."

"Hi," I say quietly.

"Hey, Mags," says Finnick. Then I remember, Mags was his mentor before.

"Hello, Finnick," Mags greets him back. Her voice is small and quiet. "And I don't believe we've met before."

"I'm Auramarina," I tell Mags. "Or just Aury."

"You were unlucky enough to be reaped this year," says Mags. "That's terrible. But I'll make sure you stay alive. Don't worry."

"What about Finnick?" I ask. Given that Finnick was already mentored by her, she might favor him by now.

"He'll stay alive too," Mags says simply. "You both will."

"Okay, so any first term advice?" I ask.

"You're District 4," she says. "You're Career Tributes, right?" I nod. "Wrong. Don't spend too much time around the rest of the Careers. They're killers. And they'll kill you if they're given the chance."

I nod again. Then I wonder, if I'm not supposed to stay with the Careers, where am I supposed to go? I won't survive alone. And it would only be a matter of time before us Careers turned on each other.

"The other districts. Are they using previous victors too?" I ask Mags.

She nods. "Yes, all districts are using their youngest victors," she tells me.

"Why, though? It's not a Quell," I remind her. Quells are where all this fancy stuff usually happened. I wonder what makes this year so special.

"I don't know," admits Mags. "It might be to make some of the tributes look more..." She searches for the right word. "desirable." When she says this, she casts a glance at Finnick. I look at him. He has his head down, staring at his knees.

Desirable? What does that mean? And what does it have to do with Finnick? Finnick is handsome, yes, but desirable? That word makes him sound like all the things he isn't. It makes him sound like the type of person that buys people and then discards them, because he can. He's Finnick Odair, after all. But he isn't like that. Not at all. Not the Finnick that _I _know.

"So, any other advice that I haven't already heard, Mags?" asks Finnick.

"No," she replys. "Not now, anyway. The most I can tell you for now is just do your best to stay away from the Careers. If you get stuck with them, fine. But if you can help it, get away from them as soon as possible." Mags nods briskly to us, then stands on wobbly legs, and walks out.

Finnick and I sit in silence together for a while, feeling the vibrations of the moving train beneath our feet. I stare at the floor, letting my hair drape down along my shoulders. I untie the ribbon around it, because what's the use looking pretty here? My hair flows all around my face. I run the ribbon through my fingers a few times, then tie it around my thumb.

"Do you think you might be...in trouble in the arena?" I ask Finnick, still staring at the floor.

"Why would I be?" says Finnick back.

"Some of the other tributes know you," I say, raising my head. "Personally."

Finnick shrugs. It seems like nothing can scare him. "Yeah, but how much of a threat can they really be?"

_Is he serious? _I scoff at him. He doesn't seem to realize how vicious the other tributes can be. But why should he? He was crowned victor at the age of fourteen. Still, it worries me how indifferent he seems to all of this.

Bella comes back into the room and takes me by the arm. She leads me through the hallway, telling me that she's taking me to my room. I'll only sleep in it once, though. District 4 isn't very far from the Capitol. Bella opens a crystalized door and shoves me in. She closes the door behind me, and I'm left alone.

I take in the sight of my room. Small, but beautiful. It's dark like the night, but at the same time, it has a bright feeling to it. The walls are painted a light green color, like the color of the ocean. And the carpet laying on the ground looks like a giant sea shell. There's a closet across from the bed, which is a dark blue color, and an empty table.

I open the closet and find a single green dress and another white nightdress. I take off my blue dress and change into the green dress. It's more comfortable than I expected. Then I hear Bella tramping down the hallway and calling me down to dinner.

When I get to the dining room, Finnick is already there. He's wearing a button-down shirt just as green as my dress, and as expected, none of the buttons are actually buttoned. I roll my eyes at him then sit down at the table. Mags is with us, along with Bella. We're served some sort of stew and fish, then a cake. It's all delicious, but I can't really enjoy it, considering these are the last meals I'll eat before I die.

After I finish eating, I leave. I go back to my room and slink down on my bed. This is the first breath I've taken since the reaping that I've been aware of. I start to relive the day. I got up. I wrote. I helped Lily tie her bow. I got dressed. I got hugged to death by Heron. I went to the square. I was reaped. Now, I'm here. With Finnick. Lily would kill to be in my position right now.

I slip into the nightdress in my closet. It's made of silk, which glides across my skin like the waves. I climb into my bed and pull the covers up to my chin. I toss and turn for what seems like hours. And when sleep finally comes, it's filled with nightmares. One is of Lily getting reaped instead of me, and Heron being reaped for the boys. When I try to volunteer for her, Peacekeepers hold me back. Another is of me being reaped, like it did happen, but this time, none of my family cared. They all just clapped for me and didn't give it a second thought.

Then, there's one more. It's not a nightmare, exactly. It's just there. It's of Finnick. He's standing in front of me. Talking. Just talking. Then he holds his arms out to me and I don't hesitate to go to him. He embraces me tightly and kisses my forehead.

That's the only dream that isn't a nightmare that night. The rest are horrible, bloody, gorey dreams that etch themselves in my imagination. And they don't make any sense at all. I think I may have been screaming, because when I wake up, Finnick is there. He has his arms wrapped around me and he's shushing me calmly. I sit up suddenly.

"What are you doing here?" I demand. I don't mean to sound as hostile as I do.

"You were screaming...and I...I thought you needed someone to...wake you up," Finnick stammers. I can tell he didn't expect my reaction to be what it was.

I immediately relax. Finnick is sweeter than I thought he was. I start to regret yelling at him. So I lay my head back on his shoulder and put my arm across his shoulder and around his neck. "Thanks, Finnick," I say.

He lightly, as if not to provoke me, lays his arm around my back. I start to think, I can't believe after all of this, I haven't shed even one tear. Maybe I'm too tired to cry now. But before, why didn't I? Because I was too preoccupied with everything else. If I am going to cry, this would be the time to do it. But no tears come. So instead, I listen to the train crossing the tracks, and Finnick's heartbeat, and I slowly drift back into sleep.

The next time I wake up, orange sunlight is peeking through the window and Finnick is gone. I hear Bella pounding on my door. "Get up! Get up!" she says. So I do. I dress in the green dress again, since there are no other clothes in the closet, and open the door. I go down to the dining room, where I eat eggs and more fish. Finnick walks in and nods to me. Not much of a "good morning", but I'll take it. Then Mags comes in. She sits directly in front of me.

"Morning," she says quietly. "We'll be arriving at the station today." Finnick takes a seat next to me as Mags continues talking. "You're going to meet your stylists today as well. You know, the people who design your outfits for the opening ceremonies and interviews." I nod.

I almost ask her how our stylists are when I feel the train give a jerk, and I immediately stand up. I look out the window next to me and see the Capitol buildings rising up all around me. I walk to the window and lay my hand on the sill, looking out across the city. The buildings are larger than any I've ever seen, and the architecture is staggering. Finnick comes to stand next to me. He doesn't put his arm on my shoulders or even whisper in my ear, which is surprising.

We pull into the station, and I spot a sea of cameras and reporters coming toward the train. I back away from the window, not wanting to be caught in the middle of all that. Finnick, however, is totally used to cameras and lights and people screaming his name. He's Finnick Odair. He urges me back to the window, but I shake my head.

The train comes to a screeching stop and the doors open. Bella fixes her hair, then steps off, followed by Mags. I sigh. I don't look forward to being engulfed by cameras and people with ridiculous looking outfits and idiotic accents. But I'm a Career. Mags said not to spend time with them. But I'm still a Career. District 4. She can't change that. And being a Career Tribute, I'm supposed to be honored to be here.

Finnick gets off before me. He turns his head and waves for me to come on. I do. When I step off the train, I'm literally attacked by cameras and reporters asking me all sorts of questions. I can't answer most of them, because I can't hear them. All the sounds are mingled together, into one huge mass of noise. I look over and see Finnick being just as bombarded as I am. Most of his reporters are women, of course. They're poring all over him and he just stands there, soaking it all in.

I try to push through the reporters to follow Bella and Mags, but the crowd prevails. They shove me back and continue asking me questions. Then I feel Finnick grab my hand and pull me through the sea of people, and finally, we're out and Bella and Mags are in sight again, calling us along.

"Thanks," I gasp to Finnick.

"No problem," he says, not letting go of my hand. I jerk it away.

"Flirt," I call him.

Finnick gasps teasingly. "A flirt? Me? Never," he says disbelievingly.

I can't help but laugh a little. He's so ridiculous, it's funny. Bella calls us over to her and then she leads us to a huge building. The Remake Center.


	5. Part 1: Being Remade

I gasp as a woman named Latvia continues ripping the hair out of my eyebrows. She says she's "making them better" but honestly, my eyebrows aren't terrible. Latvia is quite a character. She, like the other people of the Capitol, dresses oddly. She's wearing a sickly yellow dress that falls to her shins and puffs out at the bottom, and her face is absolutely caked in makeup.

"Sorry, love," says Latvia, still plucking my eyebrows. "This is standard procedure. I really don't need to do any of this. You're pretty enough already!"

"Thanks," I say back akwardly.

More people come to groom me. A man named Rit and another woman named Cleo. Rit is a younger man, maybe in his mid-twenties. He wears an all black suit and is so pale he's almost translucent. Cleo is the most normal looking of all. She's sporting a long, flowy, dark-blue dress and has only a small bit of blue eyeshadow and eyeliner along her top lid. These people are my prep team.

They begin to comb out my long hair, commenting on how silky and golden it is, saying how "color like this isn't found in nature because it's too beautiful". Then they spray my entire body with a shimmery liquid. It makes me look like I've just come out of the water after swimming. They wash all of it off me after a few minutes, but my body still retains the shininess and smooth look.

"You're going to meet your real stylist now, okay?" says Cleo after she's finished combing and parting my hair. She lays it along my back, and leaves, followed by Rit and Latvia.

I sigh. I hate being cared for, even if it is mandatory. I hate feeling other people's hands all over my body, too. I had to resist the urge to kick every one of my prep team to the floor and tell them to knock it off. I put my hands on my hips and look around. I'm not in a blocked off seperate room like I'd prefer. I'm in a small cubicle, with walls on only three sides. I'm totally exposed to the rest of the tributes. But we're all naked, so really, what does it matter?

I turn my head slowly from left to right, sizing up the other tributes. Some are large and muscular, others are thin and frail looking. And I also see a lot of them staring at me. This makes me wonder if I did anything to provoke them. Or impress them. But I didn't. I haven't even looked at any of them since I came here until now. Then I realize, _Oh, right. I'm Finnick's district mate. _

I look across the huge room and see Finnick. His prep team is still there, working away at his body. He's glowing, like me, and his hair has been neatly combed back. His team probably thinks it's useless to try and make Finnick look better. Like my prep team did.

Finnick catches me looking at him. He's fully naked, same as me, which makes me uncomfortable. I turn my head quickly to the right, which causes my hair to drape down, covering my chest. _That's better, _I think. I dare to glance back at Finnick. He's staring at me now, so I pick my head up and return his gaze. I blink at him a few times, and he winks at me.

"Nice," he mouths to me, looking up and down my exposed body.

I scoff at him. "You, too," I mouth back, looking up and down his body as he did to me.

Then Latvia comes back and take my hand. I step down from the small platform I was elevated on and let her lead me through all the other tributes. The whole time, all their eyes are trained on me. I hear one of the girl tributes gasp out, "She's so pretty." _Idiot, _I think. Beauty doesn't have much to do with the Games, so why envy me? Right now, I might as well be the ugliest girl in all of Panem.

Latvia takes me down all the way across the Remake Center to a small black door. She opens it and pushes me inside. "Just wait there," she tells me. I do. I stand there akwardly, waiting for my stylist to come in.

Finally, he does. It's a man, about thirty, wearing a pure white suit with white shoes. The only thing unusual about his appearence is his hair color, a deep orange.

"Hello, Auramarina," he says. His voice is strong and steady and almost intimidating. "I'm Czech." He extends his hand to me and I take it. "I'm your stylist, obviously."

"Hey," I say casually, shaking his hand.

"Okay..." says Czech, walking around me. "Hmm...spin around for me."

I do. I spin, letting my hair flow out around me, creating an aurora of gold. Czech puts his hands on my shoulders to stop me and nods. "I have an idea," he says confidently.

"Okay, what is it?" I ask. Czech hands me a robe, thankfully, and I immediately slip it on. This, like all the other things I've worn here so far, is made of silk.

"Each districts' costume has to encorporate a symbol of what they do for a living," Czech tells me. Like I didn't already know.

"Fishing," I say.

"Water," Czech corrects me.

"So...we're going to be dressed in...water." Sounds fun.

"Not exactly," he says. "Luna, Finnick's stylist, and I hace decided to use a water-based costume for the both of you."

"How are you going to do that?" I ask. "Water-based" doesn't exactly give me a clear description of what we'll be wearing.

"Hmm," says Czech. "Why don't I show you instead?"

Czech leads me through the door and across the Remake Center once again, where all the other tributes eyes stare at me. Again. I roll my eyes and follow Czech wordlessly. He pushes open a large blue door and behind it lies a pure white room. He walks to the opposite side of the room and picks up what looks to be my costume; I can't tell because it's under a long cover.

"Here," says Czech. "This is it."

He pulls the long cover off, revealing the ceremony costume. It's a beautiful, long, flowy dress, the exact color of the ocean water. Every time the light hits it at a different angle, it shines. Not like glitter, but like a smooth, gloss. It's absolutely breath-taking. Czech hands it to me. To my surprise, the dress is wet, like water. But at the same time, it was wearable.

I slip it over my head and let it float down all the way to the floor, in the same way that waves move to the shore. The dress feels like cool water against my skin. I look into a full-body mirror. I look like I'm totally emersed in the ocean, and the material on my dress is moving like a rushing river, down to the floor. I gasp softly.

"Do you like it?" asks Czech.

"I...it's...amazing," I breath. "How did you do it?"

"Luna and I are quite a pair when it comes to inventing new materials," he tells me casually. "It looks like rushing water, doesn't it?"

"Yes, exactly like that," I say. "Will Finnick be wearing something like this too?"

"No," says Czech.

"No?" I echo. For all the years the Hunger Games have been around, the tributes were dressed relatively similar.

"No. He'll be wearing something related to what you're wearing, but not exactly. He won't be wearing that material."

"Well, then what _is _he wearing?"

"A net," says Czech.

"Is that it?" I ask, shocked.

"Yes, that's it." I figure he thinks, the more we see of Finnick, the better. "Turn around for me again."

I do. I spin around again and my dress not only flows out around me, but showers little droplets of clear water all around. When I stop, it floats down to the floor again. Beautiful. Czech instructs me to walk. I do. And when I do, a tail of water flows out behind me.

"This is so amazing," I say again.

After a few minutes of admiring my dress in the mirror again, my prep team comes in to style my hair, and do my makeup. Cleo apparently specializes in hairstyles, so she immediately goes to work on my hair. Latvia and Rit work on my makeup.

By the time they're finished, I look surprisingly like myself. I have subtle brown eyeliners on my top lid and a tiny bit of light silver eyeshadow. My cheeks and forehead have been highlighted, making my features appear larger than they actually are. As for my lips, Latvia applied only a small amount of a peachy coral colored lipstick, which is completely pointless, since this is the color my lips are naturally. My nails have been painted a brilliant silver. But that's about all the adjustments they've made.

As for my hair, Cleo wanted to leave it down, to flow behind my back. But Czech told her to put it up. So, they came to a compromise. A little more than half of my hair is pulled back and up into a flat bun. Cleo added some blue highlights to add to the water affect. The other half of my hair is down on my shoulders, curled and shiny. There's also a headpiece that goes along with this whole outfit. It's like a headband that lays across, except it lays vertically across my forehead. It's silver, and shiny, and brilliant, like the rest of my outfit.

When I look in the full-body mirror again, I look like a goddess. A goddess of the sea. I smile and turn to my prep team and Czech.

"I can't believe you did all of this," I tell them.

They all tell me how great it was to make it, and how honored they are to be doing this for me. Then Czech leads me and my team to an elevator, where we're taken down to the streets, where the ceremony will take place. And I'm actually happy when I see Finnick there, standing by our chariot. He's dressed, as Czech said, in a gold net. That's it. His hair hasn't been messed with, he's virtually void of makeup, except maybe some highlighting. Then again, Finnick is just naturally good-looking. He sees me and winks at me.

"Nice outfit," he says as I approach our chariot.

"You, too," I say, motioning toward his net. He's practically naked, he's got so much skin exposed. But the way it rests on his groin is so technical that he's not exactly "naked".

Finnick comes toward me and pushes the remaining strands of hair away from my face. I move my head away from him. "I wonder why they didn't use makeup on you," I say.

He shrugs. "Maybe I'm just too good-looking they didn't want to mess things up," he replies.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is," I say jokingly, rolling my eyes.

"They didn't use too much makeup on you either," Finnick points out. "Just naturally pretty, like me, huh?"

"Maybe," I say. I turn to the horses pulling our chariot. They're silver. Of course. And they're manes have been dyed a brilliant sea-green. "Flirty, aren't you?"

"No," says Finnick. "I'm charming." He leans his head as close as he can get to mine, and it takes all my will power and stubborness to not shy away.

"Of course," I whisper to him, using the same seductive voice he's using on me. Then I flick my hair at him like I did before, and move on.

I decide maybe I should start out on the right foot with the other tributes. Maybe then I'll have less of a chance of being killed. I fix my hair, position my headpiece, and try to look amiable. Then I see the District 2 tributes staring at me. They're both wearing bright gold metallic armor with red capes draping down behind them. I move over to them nonchalantly and examine their horses.

"Your horses are pretty," I comment. They are. They, like the tributes, are gold.

"Thanks," says the girl from District 2. I turn my head to her. She has light brown hair and dark brown eyes. "You're District 4, aren't you?" I nod. "We're District 2."

"I know," I tell her. "I'm Auramarina."

"I'm Cora," she says. "And this is Cole." She motions to the boy beside her. He's probably about seventeen and has dark brown hair and pale green eyes. He just nods to me briefly, then turns his head away.

"He's kind of...shy," Cora tells me, looking at Cole. Then she whispers, "Especially when he's around girls like you."

"Girls like me?" I say.

"You know, pretty," says Cora, shrugging. "And a Career. You've got it all, Auramarina."

"Just call me Aury, if you want."

"Okay, Aury." Cora's eyes flicker to something behind me. I turn my head and see she's staring at Finnick. Then she sighs. "You're so lucky to be with Finnick Odair."

"I guess I am," I shrug. I don't see why I'm so lucky. Finnick is extremely good-looking, I can't argue that. But he's still just a person.

"Cole here was a victor too, you know," she tells me. "He won the 64th Games."

"Oh," I say. "Good job, Cole." Cole doesn't look at me. He only nods and smiles a little. I wonder if he'll ever have the decency to look at me.

Cora's eyes flicker behind me again and I know she's looking at Finnick. "Um...I think your friend is flagging you." I turn around and sure enough, Finnick is beckoning to me.

"Oh, right," I say, waving to Finnick to tell him to wait. "I guess I'll see you around, Cora. Bye, Cole."

As I walk away, I hear Cora telling Cole how rude he was to not look at me. I laugh a little. When I reach Finnick, he's talking to another girl. I clear my throat to let him know I'm there.

"Oh," he says, turning to me. "Aury, this is Dutchess. She's from District 1." _I figured, _I think. District 1 always named their children odd names.

I wave to her politely and she smiles back, then turns her attention back to Finnick. They go on chattering like I'm not even there, so I climb onto the chariot next to Finnick and lean over the side like he is. Dutchess shoots me a few concerned looks, then finally says, "Hi, Aury. I'm Dutchess." She holds out her hand.

"I know," I say, taking her hand.

"You look miraculous," she tells me. "But I saw you in the Remake Center. You always look like that."

"Oh," I say akwardly. "Thanks. You look nice, too." She's is dressed in a bright pink, puffy dress with an equally as pink headpiece. Honestly, she looks like a bird.

"Thanks," she says. She shoots me an admirable glance, then says, "I better go."

"Bye, Dutchess," says Finnick flirtatiously.

"Yeah, bye," I almost shout after her. I don't like her. I mean, I do. She's a nice person and she seems like a good person to be around, but I don't like her. I can't tell why.

"You talk to any other tributes?" asks Finnick, turning his head to me, letting his gaze rest on mine. I stare back into his sea-green eyes. They're charming.

"Just District 2," I tell him. "Cora and Cole. They seem good. Well, Cora does, anyway. I don't know about Cole. He didn't say much."

"That's because he likes you," Finnick teases.

"Oh, yeah," I tease back. "Well, Dutchess seemed to like you a lot, too."

Finnick turns his entire body to me. I do the same. He raises one of his eyebrows. "Are you jealous?" he says, with a small teasing smile on his face.

I feel my jaw drop. Jealous? Is he serious? I laugh a bit. "Jealous?" I say. "Me?" I laugh a bit more. Then I shake my head dismissively at him and jump off the chariot, letting the water droplets fromy my dress spray Finnick in the face. I walk past our horses toward the front of the line where the chariot holding District 3 is.

Jealous? Finnick thinks I'm jealous. Of what? Of him and Dutchess? Of the chance that he might like her too? I bite my lip. Am I jealous? No, I couldn't be. I push the thought out of my head and put my hand on District 3's chariot.

"Hi," I say nicely. "I just thought I should...introduce myself. I'm Auramarina, District 4."

The two tributes look at each other questioningly. Finally, one of them says, "Hi, Four." The girl. She has light blonde hair and almost red eyes. They match the outfit she and the boy are wearing. Shiny red metal, almost like tin foil. "My name's Bree."

"Hey," the boy says akwardly. _Another boy that won't look at me? _I think irritably. But he does. And I notice he has eyes that are almost red as Bree's and that he has golden-brown hair. He looks to be about eighteen. Maybe even older. "I'm Norbeck."

"You said you were District 4?" says Bree. I nod and smile. "Well, you're lucky."

"Why?" I ask. I know what she's going to say. _Because you have Finnick. _

"Finnick Odair, that's why," she replies. Of course.

"Yeah, I guess I am," I say. "Finnick's great."

"And good-looking," Bree adds.

"Right. Forgot about that," I laugh. "So, which one of you is the previous victor?"

"Norbeck," Bree tells me. "He won the 61st Games when he was fifteen." So he's twenty-one now. "They're using all the male victors for this."

"Oh." I didn't know that. "Finnick won the 65th Games when he was fourteen. But you probably already knew that."

"Of course I do," she says disbelievingly. "Finnick is sort of a legend."

"I guess he is," I say.

"Come on, you can't tell me that don't think Finnick is the most stunning looking person you've ever seen," says Bree with a laugh.

"No, I can't," I say honestly. Because I really can't. Finnick _is _stunning.

"Who could?" she asks.

"Blind people, maybe," I joke. So far, I like Bree.

She laughs, then points behind me to Finnick. He's conversing with more of the girl tributes. Again. And I realize...maybe...just maybe...I actually mind. _I am not jealous, _I tell myself. I say goodbye to Bree and Norbeck and stalk over to Finnick. I mount our chariot again and shove him over so I have room to put my arms down. He scoffs at me.

"Hey, Aury," says Finnick. He's purposely trying to provoke me. He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him. "This is Blair and Glade." I wave to them, almost smirking at them. "Blair is from District 5 and Glade is from District 7."

"Oh, lovely," I say as politely as I can. "Who are your district's victors?"

Blair speaks first. She points to a large boy with red hair and green eyes. "That's Soma. He won the 59th Games when he was sixteen. He's twenty-four now. Still young enough to fight and stuff."

"Okay, and you?" I say, turning to Glade.

She nods her head to her chariot where a smaller boy with blonde hair and blue eys is standing. "Lyon. Won the 63rd Games at fifteen. He's eighteen now."

"Good to know," I say.

"You know, I should have just let you do the math," hisses Glade. _What is her problem all of the sudden? _She walks closer to our chariot. "Or is there no brain up in that pretty little head of yours?"

"There's a brain up here," I say, knocking on my head. I plant both of my hands on the side of the chariot. "But are you sure there's one in your head? Because, if Lyon was fifteen when he won the 63rd Games, he'd be nineteen right now, not eighteen."

This take Glade aback. She scrunches her eyebrows at me. Then she looks at the ceiling, counting the years. After she's finally done, she glares at me, because she knows I'm right. I smile mockingly at her. She just scowls and walks away. But not before saying, "See you, Finnick" in the most flirtatious voice I've ever heard.

"What was her problem?" Blair echoes my thoughts.

"I don't know, but Aury sure showed her up," says Finnick, putting his arm around me again. I don't shrug him off until Blair says goodbye and walks back to her chariot.

"So, Glade is a bitch," I tell Finnick. Like he didn't already know that.

Finnick laughs. "Jealous much?" he asks, running a strand of my hair through his fingers.

I yank my hair out of his hand and turn on him, shoving my face right up to his like I did before. "You wish," I hiss, almost seductively.

"Yes, I do wish," he says. "I love it when girls fight over me."

"Well, keep wishing because there is no way I'm getting in any sort of fight over you," I say, turning my back to him.

"Ah, but you just did." Finnick runs his hand along the length of my arm.

I whip around to face him. "How?" I snarl.

"You just outsmarted Glade," says Finnick, shrugging.

"Oh, please," I snort. "That's just because she was being bitchy. Besides, she started that one first. And what does me counting years better than Glade have to do with you?"

"Nothing," Finnick shrugs again. "You just seemed...defensive."

"Of myself," I retort. And I leave it at that, turning my back to him again. Finnick, of course, goes on talking.

"I've told you this before, haven't I?" he asks.

"Depends on what you're going to say," I reply, not turning around to him.

"You're not like other girls," he tells me. I scoff and shake my head at him. I expect to feel Finnick's arm brush mine or something, but it never happens. _Getting smarter, huh? _"You know, you're not at all in love with me like all the others."

I snort. "Oh, I wouldn't call what all those other girls feel toward you 'love'," I say, actually turning around to him. I shove my face right next to his ear and whisper, "It's more of an obsession."

"Hmm," Finnick huffs. "Well then, I wish you were just as 'obsessed' with me as all the others."

"Keep wishing," I say again, crossing my arms.

"Oh, I will," says Finnick, crossing his arms and mimicking me. I glare at him and turn back around.

Finally, after about a minute of akward silence between me and Finnick, I hear Panem's anthem begin to blare. President Snow's voice booms all around me, and then District 1's chariot is pulled onto the runway. They're waving and smiling, but they're all tensed up and aren't even looking at each other anymore. Then District 2 follows. They do the same as District 1, wave, smile. And before I know it, District 3 is leaving and next is District 4. Us.

"Ready?" asks Finnick, stepping up beside me. He shakes his net which sends a wave of light blasting out from his body. I raise my eyebrows. Finnick really looks like a god now.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I say back.

Before our horses start out, Luna comes to Finnick and hands him a golden trident. _Oh, right, _I think. _That was his weapon before. _She fixes his hair a bit, and then we're jerked away into the streets. It isn't at all what I expected. I thought that the crowd would be right next to us. But they're all high up in their seats which are stationed yards away from the street. It makes the entire setup look so much larger than it has to be.

I feel like I'm about to fall backward at the immense size of everything. I grip onto Finnick's shoulder, harder than intended. He just grins and puts his free hand on mine. Then he whispers, "Just wave. You'll be fine."

So I do. I manage to pry my hand away from Finnick's shoulder and wave, my free hand gripping the side of the chariot. I look up at all the spectators. All eyes are trained on us. Rather, they're trained on Finnick. He's practically glowing. And I can hear a bunch of girls screaming his name like maniacs. I shake my head at them. _Idiots. _

"I bet you're soaking this up right now, aren't you?" I whisper to him, still waving.

"No," Finnick whispers back. "I'm used to it. It gets boring after a while." That's the first sensible thing that's come out of his mouth since we got here.

A long parade down the street, my dress leaving a gorgeous trail of water behind me, and we're finally forming a large, organized circle in the middle of the Capitol. After District 12 joins us, President Snow addresses us, welcomes us to the Capitol, and the n sends us away. Our chariots pull us back the way we came. As soon as we come to a halt, I jump off, shaking myself. Czech is there waiting for me, along with Luna and Bella and Mags. He pulls me to him and hugs me.

"Beautiful, Auramarina. Just beautiful," he tells me. "You looked like gods out there. You both did."

"Thanks, Czech," I say back. "But that out there was all because of you."

Czech and I congratulate each other some more, when I feel Finnick's hand on my shoulder. I turn around to him. His eyes almost look like they're glowing. He smiles at me charmingly. "Nice job out there," he says, winking at me.

"Thanks," I say back. "You, too."


	6. Part 1: The Training Center

The Training Center. Bella leads us through the door and into a huge elevator. She presses the number "4" on the panel inside and we're whisked away to the fourth floor. This is where we'll be spending our time until the Games begin.

We step off the elevator into an enormous dining room. All the furniture is excentric and can't be described, and the table looks like it's made of shells. Fitting for District 4. Right next to the dining room is the sitting room with a huge television where we'll be watching replays of the opening ceremony. And behind the dining room is a long hallway, where our quaters are. Bella takes my hand and drags me down the hallway to a silver door with "Marx" written across the top in crystals. She opens the door and pushes me in.

"Go on, explore your room," she says. "Dinner will be in a few minutes." Then she closes the door behind her and I'm left alone in my spacious bedroom.

There's a bed, naturally. It's covered by a fluffly comforter the color of seaweed. When I put my hand on it, I find that it's a water bed. Over in the corner is another door which leads to a bathroom. The shower contains a panel with so many buttons on it, I wonder what each of them does. Across from my bed is a closet, much larger than the one on the train.

Another thing catches my eye. On the wall to the right of my bed is a smaller panel, not unlike the others. I go up to it and press a button. An entirely new panel extends outward from that one. It projects a numbered keyboard out to me. I press the number 4, and my walls begin to change. A vast ocean begins to spread out around me, and I feel like I'm standing on a beach, with the sand against my toes. I step up to my wall and reach my hand out to the realistic painting of the water. But it's not a painting. My hand goes directly through the wall and into open air. I gasp and jerk my hand away.

After a moment of close inspection, I reach my hand out again and feel the breeze lap at it. I dare to step forward, into the wall. I feel the sand rise above my toes, tickling them. I take a deep breath. This is amazing. It's exactly the ocean, home. It's beautiful. And I never want to leave. I walk along the sand, which seems to be never ending, and I even dip my foot into the water. Everything seems so real and beautiful and calming. I stand, both feet in the water, breathing in the salty scent of the ocean. I wade into the deeper water, until it rises above my chest and I can swim.

"Auramarina!" I hear Bella calling my name. "Come on, dear. Dinner is being served."

I reluctantly pull myself out of the water and strip off my dress. The water seemed to have no affect on it, considering it practically is water. I then go to my closet and pull out a light green dress. I walk out the door, throwing the headpiece from the opening ceremony to the ground.

"Auramarina," says Luna. "Nice of you to join us."

"My pleasure," I say back. Not that I really had a choice to join them or not.

I sit down next to Finnick, who's wearing a half unbuttoned gray shirt. Of course it's half unbuttoned. He's Finnick, after all. I roll my eyes at him and he winks at me. I let a small smile cross my face, which gets him laughing. Mags sits down in front of us, with Bella at her left and Czech and Luna at ther right. Finnick throws his arm around my shoulder. I roll my eyes again, but don't bother shrugging him off.

We're served lamb and potatoes. Delicious. And then, they serve an odd looking cake, which is surprisingly good. After we're finished eating, we move to the sitting room to watch a replay of the opening ceremony. As I watch the other districts come into the streets, I start to feel intimidated. Most of them are bigger than I am. Even though I'm a Career, that doesn't mean I'm not vulnerable to anyone. And then I see me and Finnick. I look like water and he looks like a fishing net. It's a nice combination, actually. And we're the only ones that still look amiable of each other.

After that, Mags heads off to bed. Bella says goodnight to us both and follows her. Czech and Luna are still in the sitting room when I head to my bedroom. I would like to talk to someone, but what is there to talk about? I open my door and flop down on my bed. I immediately fall asleep with my legs hanging over the side.


	7. Part 1: More Nightmares

Nightmares fill my head once again. Except this time, they're about me being murdered in the arena. Spear through the head, knife to the heart, burned alive, attacked by the Capitol's muttations. All those things fill my head and reek havoc. At one point when I wake up, my throat is extremely dry and cracked. I guess I've been screaming. I manage to pull myself out of bed and get dressed in an actual nightdress. Silk, as usual. I climb back into my bed and drift into sleep, where more nightmares await me.

Death. Blood. Suffering. I wish they would go and torture someone else instead of me. Actually, no. I don't wish that. No one deserves these nightmares. I wake up again, my throat feeling dryer than before. I sit up and lean my head against the wall, staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, I hear breathing. I whip my head to the right, where the sound is coming from. Finnick is sitting right next to my bed. He's only wearing pants. Figures. I glare at him.

"Do you always sneak into girls' bedrooms?" I ask, scratching my head sleepily.

"No," says Finnick. "They sneak into mine." His tone isn't joking. It's serious, like he really meant what he said.

"I'm sure they do," I say back. "Was I screaming again?"

"Yeah," Finnick nods. "It was pretty loud this time. I'm surprised Bella or Mags didn't hear it first."

"Oh, sorry," I apologize. I feel bad that I keep waking Finnick up.

"No, it's fine. I wasn't really sleeping anyway."

"What _were _you doing, then?" I ask, expecting a sarcastic answer.

"Thinking," is Finnick's answer, not sarcastic or even flirty. This is a totally new side of him I've never seen before.

"About what?"

"Oh, nothing." Finnick shakes his head, as if to clear his thoughts. Then he stands up and sits down on my bed. I move over to him.

"Something's wrong," I say to him. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he tells me. "Nothing that you can do anything about, anyway."

"Just tell me. Maybe I can," I insist.

"Not unless you can reverse the past," Finnick mutters. He obviously didn't expect me to hear it, but I do. I'm about to say, "_What's that supposed to mean?", _but decide not to.

"Okay, well just tell me if something comes up," is what I say instead. I put my hand on his shoulder, feeling his muscles relax.

We sit there together for a while in the silence. I ponder on what Finnick said. _No, they sneak into mine. Thinking. Nothing you can do anything about. Not unless you can reverse the past. _I always thought Finnick had a fine past, being crowned victor at such a young age. He was rich at age fourteen, and was the number one heartthrob in Panem. What could have been so wrong with his past?

"Finnick," I breathe softly in his ear. "Thanks for coming again."

He turns his head to me and locks his gaze on mine. "No problem," he says.

I put my chin on his shoulder. Then he does something that I never expected the great Finnick Odair to do. He cries. I see a small teardrop fall from his left eye. Never in my life did I expect to see Finnick cry. Ever. I knew he did; everyone cries. But I never thought I'd see it.

I know why he does, too. Because of what he said about me changing the past, and not being able to help him. Maybe it's true, too. Maybe I can't help him. But I still want to know what his problem is.

"Oh, my God, Finnick," I say, moving to his side. I put both hands on his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he tells me.

"There's obviously something wrong," I counter. "Finnick Odair doesn't cry unless it's something serious." I joke a little to try and make him feel better.

"You're right," he says, shaking his head. "It _is _something serious."

"What is it?" I ask again, starting to lose my paience.

"The Capitol," he tells me in a low voice. "I can't tell you. I shouldn't have even told you that."

"Why not?"

Finnick turns his head to me again. "Because it'll get you into trouble." And with that, he stands, and leaves, slamming the door behind him. _Well, that's a new side of Finnick, _I think.

I lay awake for the next few hours, wondering what was wrong with Finnick. _Because it'll get you into trouble. _What coud get me into trouble? I'm already in enough trouble, being here in the Games. What could be more trouble than this? I sigh, because I know Finnick is hiding something. Something about his past, something that he wants to change, and something that could get me into trouble. _Easy enough to figure out, right? _I think sarcastically. I close my eyes and fall back into my nightmares.


	8. Part 1: My Apparent Approach

When I wake up, the sun is rising in the ocean scene on my walls. I step through and onto the sand, where I let the sun's rays sink into my skin. Then I take a quick shower, pressing as many buttons as I can that distribute various soaps and shampoos and conditioners. I get out and dress in blue shorts and a green camisole.

I open my door, and there stands Bella, just about to knock on my door. "Oh, you're awake," she says. "Good. You need to eat breakfast. Today's your first day of actual training." I follow her to the dining room.

Finnick is already there. Shirtless, of course. _Did they even give him any shirts in his closet? _I roll my eyes at him when he winks. Any sign of the Finnick I sat with last night is long gone. In a way, I'm glad.

"Good morning," says Mags as she enters the room.

"Morning," I say back, taking a seat next to Finnick. We eat eggs and ham before we get down to business.

"Okay, I have to ask," Mags starts, finishing her ham. "Do you w_ant_ to be coached together?"

"Why wouldn't I want to be?" I ask. And the minute that escapes my mouth, I know I've said that wrong.

"Yeah, Mags," says Finnick. "Why wouldn't she want to be around me as much as possible."

"I didn't mean it like that," I retort. "I meant, why wouldn't we be coached together?"

Mags shrugs. "Some people prefer to keep to themselves more than others."

"Coach us together, Mags," Finnick insists.

"Alright, then," she says. "To start off, what are you most skilled at? No. What is your weapon of choice?"

"A spear," I say immediately. Back in District 4, my family are fishers. So using a spear is second nature to me.

"Good," says Mags approvingly. "They always have spears in the arena."

"And I-" Finnick begins.

"We know, Finnick," Mags cuts him off. "Trident, and or knife and spear."

"I doubt you're going to get another trident like that last one," I say. That trident must have cost a fortune.

"Oh, you never know," Finnick says in a seductive "purr" of sorts. "People love-"

I shove my hand over his mouth. "Yeah, I know. People love to sponser Finnick Odair," I breathe to him in the same voice as he used. I run my hand down to his bare chest. He shudders. I jerk my hand away and turn my back on him. Two can play at this little sexy game that he has.

"Maybe I should go," Mags jokes. "You two seem to have great chemistry together."

"Chemistry? Me and Finnick?" I ask. I burst out laughing because it's so funny. Finnick has so many other "lovers" in the Capitol. What makes me so different from them? Besides how I dress and how I talk.

"Oh, it wouldn't be that terrible to have chemistry with me, would it?" purrs Finnick, running my hair between his fingers as he always does.

"I never said that," I remind him, giving him a light shove. "You have so many others in the Capitol. Why should I be any different?"

"But you a_re _different from them," Finnick tells me. He's staring at me, seriously.

"How?" I ask. Maybe this time he'll tell me what's going on with him and the Capitol.

Finnick stammers a bit, trying to come up with an answer that will satisfy me, even though he knows he can't. Mags, seeing him struggling, intervenes. "Aury, I wanted to ask you, what do you think your approach should be?"

"My approach?" I echo.

"What type of person do you want the audience to think you are?" she asks.

"Oh...um...I guess..." I scratch my head thoughtfully. "Maybe..."

"Go for sexy, dear," Mags tells me.

Sexy? I could try, but it would be a pitiful try. "How would I do that?" I ask, hoping for an answer that will actually help me.

"Well, you've got the looks," she says. "And even the personality, from what I've seen so far." She means what she's with Finnick and I.

"But I'm not really that-" I begin.

Finnick cuts me off by slapping his hand over my mouth like I did to him. "Sure you are," he says.

"No," I correct him, pushing his hand off my mouth. "I'm not."

"I'm pretty sure you are," Finnick persists.

"What approach are _you _going for then, Finnick?" I ask. "If I've already taken the 'sexy' approach, what is the great Finnick Odair going to do?" My face is so close to his now, our lips are almost touching.

"Oh, Finnick can go for 'sexy' as well," Mags says casually.

"But I thought the whole point was for us to be different," I say.

"You are, don't worry," she reassures me. "But, honestly, I don't know what else I could do for him." I laugh.

"Having us both go for that approach might make it seem like everyone in District 4 is a prostitute," I tell Mags with a laugh. Finnick laughs along with me.

"Then so be it," Mags says, waving her hand.

"Alright, then," I shrug. Sexy. Got it.


	9. Part 1: Not a Chance

I go back to my room. An outfit has been layed out on my bed. A form-fitting black shirt with the number "4" on the back and tight black pants. The shirt makes my chest look larger than usual, because of the material it's made out of. The pants do the same thing. _Great. Like people weren't staring at me already. _I comb my hair out again and pull it away from my face and into a low side ponytail.

The minute I walk out the door, there's Finnick. He's wearing a tight black shirt that accentuates his muscles and black pants that look looser than mine. I'd give anything right now to take these pants off and trade them in for baggier pants. I groan.

"You're not happy to see me?" Finnick asks innocently.

"No," I say simply. Then I laugh. "I'm just kidding."

"Nice outfit," he comments. I didn't expect him not to. I was practically set up for that one.

"Thanks," I say. "I like yours, too."

"It's the same thing," he reminds me.

"Except for the pants," I counter. I tug on mine, willing them to be looser.

"Except for the pants," Finnick agrees.

The actual training rooms are all the way at the bottom of the Training Center, on the ground floor. At first, I'm nervous about meeting with the other tributes. Then I remember, I'm a Career Tribute. And I've already met a lot of the others, anyway. I relax.

When we get to the training room, which is basically an enormous gymnasium, Rigel, the head trainer, is giving instructions. We aren't allowed to fight with the other tributes, we are to stay at our stations for a minimum of fifteen minutes each, and tributes from the same district are to keep an eye on each other.

Rigel lets us loose, and I notice the Careers are mostly heading toward the deadliest looking weapons. I shrug. Why not? I pick up a spear and toss it at one of the practice dummies. It nails it right in the chest. I smile at my success. And I see the other Careers looking at me.

"What?" I mouth to them. Throwing a spear isn't hard. They all just look away.

I pick up another spear and throw it at another dummy. To my satisfaction, it scewers it directly through the neck, almost taking its head off cleanly from the body.

"Good job," I hear Finnick say from behind me. I turn around to him. He's holding a long piece of rope, trying to tie it into a net.

I walk up to him and take the rope. I quickly make a complicated knot to begin the type of net he's trying to make. "I thought you knew how to make nets," I say. In the 65th Games, he wove nets to catch people in, then speared them with his trident.

"I do," he tells me. "But not this kind."

I get it. Finnick is attempting to make one of the most difficult nets I've ever had to learn, Poseidon's Snare. Poseidon, I think, is some sort of god from a mythology story. It's so complicated that when it's finished, it hardly even looks like a net. But it is, and it works better than any other.

Finnick walks away from me and back to the station he was at before. I go back to stabbing dummies with vaious pointy objects, until I hear loud giggling from behind me. _What is he doing now? _

I turn around and sure enough, Finnick's got almost every female tribute gathered around him. He's holding another piece of rope doing I don't know what. But it gets the girls giggling like crazy, so I figure I should go see what's happening.

"...and if you don't have enough rope to do that..." I hear Finnick say as I approach. "you can just make this instead." He holds up the rope that he's formed into a neat, classic fish net. The girls clap for him. _Wow, _I think. _How naive can you be? _

I glance over to where the male tributes are. They're all glaring at Finnick, like if they were given the chance right now, they'd kill him. I walk up to Finnick and sit next to him. Now, all the girls are glaring at me. _Sorry, ladies. But he's my district mate. _

"Hey, Aury," says Finnick. He holds up the net for me to see. "Isn't this nice?"

"Beautiful," I tell him, sliding the rope between my fingers. I look up at the male tributes again. They're still glaring at Finnick. "Finnick-" I begin.

He interupts me. "These aren't hard to make, if you know what you're doing," he says to the girls.

"Finnick-" I begin again. Interupted. Again. This time, by the girls giggling. "Finnick." I say louder.

Finnick looks at me, then to the girls. "Okay, um...I think Aury needs to discuss something important with me," he tells them. "At least, it better be important." The girls laugh. I lose my patience.

"You heard him," I hiss. "Get out of here."

They all stare at me, not angry, but admiring. I shoo them away and they all get up and return to their own district mates. Finnick stands up. I do the same.

"What?" he asks.

"You're being watched," I tell him in a hushed tone.

"Well, yeah," he says.

"No, I don't mean by the girls," I say impatiently. "I mean by those guys over there." I nod my head to where the majority of them is standing.

"Oh, them," says Finnick casually.

"Yeah, them. Previous victors like you, and they're all older than you. And bigger."

"So?"

"So I'm just saying maybe you should-"

"Finnick!" I'm cut off once again by an annoying sing-songy voice behind me. I turn my head slowly around and see Glade, waving to Finnick as if saying "watch this". She throws a knife at one of the dummies and it stabs it in the arm. I scoff and turn back to Finnick, who was obviously watching Glade, because he's smiling slightly at her.

"I'm just saying that you should probably-" I start to talk again.

"Finnick!" Glade's voice sounds behind me again.

"I'm just saying-"

"Finnick!"

"Oh, my God..." I mutter to myself. With my spear in hand, I wield around to Glade and hurl it straight at her. She quickly drops to the floor and the spear flies by her and into a dummy's head.

I turn back around to Finnick. His eyes are huge and his mouth is gaping. I put my hand on his chin and push his mouth back together. "I'm just saying you should probably watch your back," I finally finish my sentence.

"Um...yeah," he says, still astounded at what I just did. "I'll do that."

"Good," I say.

"Well, that was...impressive," he tells me after a minute.

"Oh, you think so?" I ask.

"Yeah. You know," he says, putting his arm around my back and pulling me to him. "you should go for a 'sexy dangerous' approach instead."

"I'll try," I whisper, just as seductive as Finnick. I put my hand on his neck and lean my head closer to his. My lips almost touch his, when I slip under his arm, escaping his grasp. "Not a chance, Odair." And I walk away.

Finnick is an incredibly stunning person. And I finally admit to myself that I do mind when other girls swoon all over him. But to Finnick, I'm probably just another of the thousands of girls who like him. There's nothing different about me that seperates me from them. I don't want to become nothing more than one of the girls who's idiotically obsessed with him. I don't want to be forgotten, left out on the streets, discarded. I won't let him do that to me. Not a chance.


	10. Part 1: Distractions

The next day, I start at the knot tying station. I figure I should make the people here remember me. So I pick up a long piece of rope and tie it into a perfect net in a matter of minutes. Then I do the same to the other pieces of rope until there aren't any more left. The person at that station just stares at me, like he's saying, "_We needed those", _so I start to untie all the nets I've just made.

As I'm untying, something hits me. Literally hits me, right in the head. It lands beside me. It's a shirt. Finnick's shirt. I turn around and there he is, shirtless now, grinning at me like an idiot. I roll my eyes at him. I reach down, pick up his shirt, and toss it back to him.

"Put your shirt back on," I say, laughing a bit.

"Why?" asks Finnick. "Is this distracting?"

I stalk up to him and shove my face right in his. "Not at all," I hiss. I whip around, hitting him with my hair, and notice that I might not be distracted, but the other tributes sure are. They're all staring at him, drooling almost. "I think some other people find it distracting, though."

"Oh, them," he says. He waves to them and they all wave back. "They seem nice."

"Yeah, nice enough to slit your throat," I retort.

"Jealous?" he asks, once again.

"Never," I growl at him.

I stalk away to the section where all the swords are held. Swords can't be much sifferent form spears, right? Right. I handle the swords with surprising ease, stabbing the dummies, decapitating them, slitting their throats. I glance to my left and see Bree standing there, watching me.

"Are you good at _everything?"_ she asks.

I laugh. "Not by a longshot," I reply. "Most of it's just luck."

"Like, how you're lucky to be Finnick Odair's district mate?" says Bree, walking to stand next to me. She picks up her own sword at starts sawwing at a dummy's head.

"Honestly, I don't know what you all see in him..." I tell her.

"Well, he's handsome," she says, still sawwing.

"Yes, he is," I agree.

"And he's funny."

"Yeah..." I have to agree with that one. I grow tired of watching Bree saw away at the dummy's head, so with one fast maneuver, I slice its head clean off the body.

"And he's just really...well, sexy," Bree finishes with a laugh.

_Good thing you think that, Bree. Because that's exactly the approach he's going for. _"Of course he is," I say, rolling my eyes at her. "What does Norbeck think of him? I see him staring Finnick down all the time."

"Norbeck is just upset that Finnick gets all the attention," she tells me simply. "He's used to being the center of attention in District 3."

"Oh, I get it," I say. Norbeck looks like he could very well be the love of many people.

"And the rest of them...well, jealousy. That's all." I figured. It's natural for them to feel that way toward Finnick, because he _is _better looking than any of them. "What about you?" Bree's question catches me off guard.

"What?" I ask. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Aury," says Bree casually. "I see how you are around Finnick. And you almost kissed him yesterday. First of all, you're incredibly lucky for that. And second of all, you seem...protective of him." _So you're basically asking me if I'm jealous? _

"He's my district mate," I shrug. "And we're supposed to look out for each other, right?" _I'm not jealous, _I tell myself. _I refuse to become just another one of his thousands of 'lovers'. _

"True," Bree agrees. "But it's different with you. Finnick seems to be pretty fond of you, too."

"Finnick is fond of any girl that he can get his hands on," I say flattly. "I'm not any different from those girls he has from the Capitol."

Bree leaves it at that. But maybe she's right. Finnick? Fond of me? I'd hope so, considering we're district mates. But what kind of "fond" was she refering to?

"So...you saw that yesterday, huh?" I ask.

"Saw what?" she asks.

"Me and Finnick-" She cuts me off.

"Almost kissing? Yeah, I saw that," Bree tells me. "And..." She lowers her voice. "so did all the other girls."

"So I should be worried?" I ask indifferently. I'm not worried.

"Maybe," she shrugs. "But you're pretty tough, right?"

"I think the word you're looking for is 'fiesty'," I correct her. She laughs.


	11. Part 1: Private Sessions

The day comes when we have our private sessions with the Gamemakers to get our scores. What am I going to show them? I have no idea. Maybe I'l just throw some spears around. But really, what's so impressive about that? Absolutely nothing. Anyone can toss a spear into another person.

All of us are lined up according to district. I look up and down the rows, meeting the eyes of every other tribute. They look just as nervous as me. Except for Finnick, who's sitting next to me as casually as anything. I look at him and can't help admiring him.

Being in District 4, I'm one of the first ones to go into my private session. District 1 goes, then District 2, and before I know it, Norbeck is walking to the door for his session. I feel my chest tighten. Scores are everything. If you get a score that's too low, you look weak and people will hunt you down first. If you get one that's too high, you look like a threat and people will still hunt you down. The only scores that will make a difference are the ones in the middle, like sixes or sevens. They score you on a scale of one to twelve, so people overlook them and assume you're just a regular tribute.

Norbeck comes back through the door. He lets out a long sigh or relief and walks to the elevator, taking it back to the third level.

"Auramarina Marx, District 4." My name is called over the loudspeaker in this prison they call a room. I stand, rigid and tensed. I'm about to walk to the door when Finnick grabs my hand.

"Do good," he tells me, kissing my hand.

"I will," I say, yanking my hand out of his.

I walk through the huge door leading into the gymnasium. The Gamemakers are overhead, watching me. They're all holding glasses of wine, which makes me worried that they might not be sober enough to score me properly. I shrug and walk to the spears. I pick one up and look at the Gamemakers.

"Go ahead, Auramarina," says one of them.

I nod and hurl the spear at one of the dummies. It stakes it straight through the skull and I see fake blood gush from the wound. I hear the Gamemakers clapping for me, and pick up another spear. This time, I throw it at the dummy that's farthest away, which is about 50 yards. It not only hits the dummy, but rips right through it stakes itself in the wall behind. I laugh at my success.

The Gamemakers clap again and some even cheer. "I think we've seen enough to know that you're a fighter. You may go," one of them dismisses me. I nod and walk out the door, feeling like I actually might have gotten their attention.

As I walk out the door, I hear "Finnick Odair, District 4" being called. Finnick gets up, cracks his neck, and walks toward me.

"Do good," I say as he walks by.

"I will," he replies, and then he's gone.

I take the elevator up to the fourth level, where Mags and Bella are waiting. "How'd it go?" asks Bella.

"Good, I think," I tell her honestly. The Gamemakers seemed to like me, but I can't be sure. "I had their attention, at least."

"You'll get a fine score," Mags says.

"I hope so," I murmur. I walk to my room and close the door behind me and slump down on my bed. I sleep for about an hour before there's knocking on my door. I open it and there's Bella, telling me it's time to eat. Good. I'm starving.

I walk down to the dining room, where the entire District 4 group is waiting. Mags, Bella, Finnick, Czech, Luna, and even our prep teams. _Why am I always the last one? _I wonder why everyone is here tonight, and then I remember, we'll be seeing our scores after we eat. I sit down in my usual seat next to Finnick, who's shirtless, as usual.

"Did they even give you any shirts to wear?" I ask him jokingly, picking at the dinner of fish and clams. Fitting for District 4.

"Yes, but I don't like to wear them," Finnick replies, running his fingers through his hair.

"Well, no kidding," I say with a laugh. Then I poke his chest lightly. I don't know why, but I'm in an incredibly good mood. I just hope no one ruins it. He just laughs, like he can't understand why I'm all of the sudden so playful.

Mags sits down in front of us, along with Bella and our stylists and prep teams. "So, Auramarina, I know your session went well, but Finnick. How did yours go?"

Finnick stares at his plate, not answering. Finally, he sighs, "I honestly don't know."

"Well, what did you do for them?" Mags persists.

"What else could I do? I stabbed some dummies. I've been through this once. It's hard to do something that they haven't already seen," he replies. "I'll get a low score."

"Low scores only matter if you _look _weak, too," I remind him. Finnick is far from weak looking.

After we're finished, we migrate over to the sitting room to watch our scores be announced. I sit down on the coach, with Finnick to my right, and Czech to my left. I put my knees up to my chin and hold my breath. District 1 is up first. Eleven and ten. Then District 2. Eight and six. For Careers, that's kind of low. Maybe that's what they're going to, though. To have people think they're weak, then come out and slaughter everyone. District 3 comes up, with a seven and a five. Then, it's us. District 4. Finnick's face shines on the screen, and the number ten is projected next to him. Ten. It's almost the perfect score, not too high, and not too low.

"Ten!" I exclaim. "Finnick, that's great!" I jump into his lap and hug him. I can't stop my excitement for him. When I pull away, I start to wonder what's wrong with me. Why am I so giddy? I shrug. It's probably something that I ate, or maybe I'm just enjoying it here a little too much.

Then it's my turn. My face shows up on the screen, with my name and district glowing right beside it. And then, the number nine is shining next to my face. Nine. Good number. A smile crosses my face as I'm hugged and patted on the back by everyone. Finnick picks me up and spins me, returning the "incredibly nice" mood.

Honestly, I have no idea how that happened. All I did was throw two spears into some dummies. How is that impressive? Czech answers that question.

"Gamemakers don't score people just on their talents," he tells me. "They score you on your overall appearence and personality."

Well, that's nice. I guess. I got a good score, but for what reason? My looks? The idea of a bunch of men watching me and scoring me because they thought I was attracitve creeps me out. I shudder.

Maybe that's the same thing that happened to Finnick. I doubt it, though. Finnick is a good fighter. A great one, even. They didn't get a ten just out of his looks.

"They obviously liked your personality," says Czech. "So for your interview, you should incorporate that into your approach." So I _should _go for looking sexy and dangerous like Finnick suggested? This should be fun. "I've already got your dress planned out, too."

"I look forward to seeing it," I tell him.

I congratulate Finnick again, who pulls me to him and embraces me tightly. I push him away after a minute. I'm not giving in to him. Not completely, anyway. I won't. I refuse. Because if I do, where will that lead me? To heartbreak. That's where. I shove Finnick off me and go to my room and lay down on my bed.

So that's Finnick's stradegy, huh? To seduce every girl into liking him and then killing them. Nice. Well, I hate to admit it, but it's working on me better than I would care for. I roll over on my side and fall asleep in my training outfit. I won't need it anymore, anyway.


	12. Part 1: Romance in Walls

_"Heron!" I scream. "Plover, Lily!" I keep screaming until my throat burns like hell. I'm running. Running through the trees like my life depends on it. Then there's water in front of me. I dive in and start swimming. Suddenly, a maelstrom appears before me. I try to swim away from it, but it sucks me in. I'm falling now. And when I hit the bottom, Plover, Lily, and Heron are all there too, with their backs facing me. _

_ "Hey!" I scream to them. "Heron! Plover! Lily!" I move closer to them and put my hand on their shoulders. They turn on me. I gasp at what I see. They have no faces... _

_"Aury!" Heron shrieks. _

_ "Aury! Aury!" Lily shrieks along with him. Soon, their voices are tangled together, forming unbearable noise that makes my ears ring. I squirm away from them, but they come closer, still screaming my name..._

"Aury! Aury, wake up!" My eyes flash open. My throat burns, once again. I look up and see Finnick, staring at me with those sea-green eyes. I put my head back down. "Aury, are you okay?"

I shake my head dismissively. I feel Finnick's hands on my shoulder and I lift my head again. I manage to sit up. Finnick puts his arms around me and hugs me closer to him. Either I don't have the energy to resist, or I just don't want to. I prefer the former.

"Shh," he says softly. "It's okay. You're awake now. It's okay."

I let Finnick hold me for a while, breathing in his scent, which stilll has the comforting ocean smell to it. My hands are balled into fists and pressing against his chest. My hair is falling in front of my face, soaking up the few tears that flow my from eyes. Occassionally, Finnick reaches down and wipes my tears away. I never knew he could be so...caring.

"You okay?" he asks. I pull away from him and comb my hair away from my face with my fingers. I rub my face with my hands and nod. Finnick cacoons me in his arms again.

I find the energy to push away from him a little. I get up from my bed and go into the bathroom, washing my face with some sort of fancy Capitol soap. Then I go into my closet and find a nightdress, in which I step into when Finnick isn't looking. He's already seen me naked, though.

I go back and sit down on my bed, running my fingers through my hair, trying to get some of the tangles out. For a while, I stare at the wall. Then I remember the ocean. The ocean that I could escape into through the walls. A smile crosses my lips.

"Want to see someting?" I ask Finnick.

"Sure," he says.

I stand up again and press the little panel that's attached to the wall. The keyboard projects out of it and I press the number 4. Sure enough, the ocean appears. It looks more beautiful than it ever has. The moon is full and shining over the water, making it glisten. The water is calm, with only small drift waves forming. The sand looks like alluminum from the moon shining on it.

I step through the walls and onto the sand, wiggling my toes at the grains hit them. I turn around. Finnick is just staring at me. I beckon to him and he comes. Slowly at first, then bursting through the invisible barrier between this world and the other. I hear him gasp. I beckon for him to come further. He does.

I run along the water, letting my hair wave out behind me and letting the cool, moist sand seep between my toes. This is just what I would be doing back in District 4. Running along the sand, probably with Heron, though. Not Finnick. I stop short and turn back around to look for Finnick. He's not there. Where would he have gone? I scan the ocean to see if he's already made it into the water. He's not there either.

Suddenly, I'm swept off my feet and spun around. When I'm finally returned to the ground, my head is spinning. I feel Finnick put his hands on my shoulders to steady me. I look up at him and actually allow myself to laugh with him. He takes my hand and pulls me into the water with him. As we go in deeper, the water rises to my neck, whereas it's only up to Finnick's shoulders.

I start to kick my legs, to stay afloat. Finnick keeps hold of my hand and pulls me farther out into the water. Pretty soon, even his feet can't touch that bottom, and we're both treading water. I feel something tug at my foot. I look down at see a seaweed entrail wrapping around my foot.

When Finnick isn't looking, I duck under the water. I dive directly under him and can hear him calling my name. I propel myself up toward the surface and catch him around the back of his neck. I pull him down and under the water, He grins at me. I'm surprised I've enjoyed being with him for this long.

We stay together in the water for a while, about an hour, I'd assume. Then we crawl back onto the sand and lay down, facing the sky. Finnick puts his arm under my back and pulls me closer to him. I laugh and try to squirm away from him, but he holds firm. Then, he does another thing I never expected Finnick Odair to do. He puts his hand on my chin. And he kisses me.

"What the hell?" I manage to gasp.

"What?" Finnick asks me, surprised.

I roll away from him and get to my feet, glowering over him. "What's your problem?" I demand.

"What are you talking about?" he asks, still dumbfounded.

"Why'd you kiss me?" I say, crossing my arms.

Finnick has a shit-load of nerve, kissing me like that. I know exactly what he's doing. He's going to get me on his good side. He's going to get me to fall hopelessly in love with him, and then, BAM! He's going to throw me away. Finnick is a naturally flirty person, but if I admit any feelings for him, he's just going to get worse. Because he'll know how I feel, and he'll want to keep me wanting him more.

I don't understand why he did it either. I'm not prettier or smarter or any more better than any of the Capitol girls Finnick acquires on a daily basis. So, why? That's my only question. Why?

"Well?" I persist impatiently.

"I don't know...I just...I..." Finnick stammers nervously.

Then I come up with a real bomb to drop on him. "What would your Capitol girls think about you kissing me?"

"What?" Finnick asks, shocked. _Gotcha. _

"You heard me," I say simply. "You have hundreds if not thousands of girls practically at your feet! What makes me any different from them? I'm becoming one of them, and it's your fault, Finnick Odair!"

"You're becoming one of who?" he asks, completely clueless. _What an idiot. _

"I'm becoming one of those idiots who's in love with you!" I shout. I try to stop the words, but can't. They slip out of my mouth. _You idiot! _So now, I've just let Finnick know how I feel about him. I groan frustratedly. "I'm becoming...one of the girls who's in love with you. And one of the girls who's eventually overlooked and tossed aside because another one comes along." There, I said it.

Finnick stares at me with those sea-green eyes, his mouth gaping. "Aury..." he starts. He gets to his feet and comes toward me, but I take a step back. "Aury, I could never overlook you."

I scoff. "Oh, couldn't you? I'm just another girl, you know," I tell him. "I'm not any different from anyone else."

"Yes, you are," says Finnick. "You're nothing like any girl I've ever met."

"In what ways, Finnick?" I ask. "My looks? Obviously. No one else looks exactly like me."

"No," he says. "I mean in your personality. No one else is as...fiery as you."

"Fiery, hardly," I laugh. "You mean, no one else has resisted you for this long, right? Because you're just so desirable." I say this with a bit of sarcasm because I hate using that word against Finnick.

"Only to some," he says. He's refering to me, being one of the few who didn't give in to him until now. He takes a step toward me. I don't back up. I hold my ground. "I think..." he begins in a soft whisper. "I think...I _am _in love with you."

For a moment, I just stare at him. "Love" is a strong word. And something tells me he isn't just saying it. Maybe he actually means it. He brushes a few strands of hair away from my face. I pull away. "Why me?" I ask quietly.

Finnick laughs. "Why not you?" he counters. And we leave it at that. He brushes my cheek with his hand and kisses me again. _How long will this honestly last? _I wonder. _He's Finnick Odair, and he's a ladies' man. _

Finnick and I go back to my room. He kisses my cheek and leaves. I'm glad. Him staying any longer would have only provoked deeper feelings for him. I don't want that. Because this isn't going to last. And I'm going to regret letting him kiss me.

I climb into my bed, which still has Finnick's scent. I throw all the covers off and drift into sleep, where nightmares don't haunt me this time.


	13. Part 1: Interview Attire

When I wake up, the sun is just peering over the water on my wall. That sun is completely accurate to the real sun, so it's about eight I would guess. I roll out of bed and get dressed in a pure white dress that hangs to my knees. I walk out the door to the dining room, where I'm served some sort of grain.

"Morning, Aury," Bella says as I sit down. That's the first time she's ever called me Aury.

"Morning, Bella," I reply, scarfing down the grain that tastes like cardboard.

"Your interviews are tonight," she says happily. Oh, right. The interviews.

"Oh, yeah," I say. "Fun."

"You'll do fine," she reassures me. "Caesar Flickerman is a wonderful host."

"I know," I tell her. Caesar Flickerman is the television host that interviews us. He tries to help all the tributes out and look their best, so I'm not too worried.

Just then, Finnick walks in. He's actually wearing a shirt this time, which is surprising. "You got a shirt," I comment slyly.

"Yeah," he replies. He sits next to me and I can sense his muscles tense. _Concerned about last night? Good. _

"Traditionally, we're supposed to train you for tonight," says Bella. "But you two don't seem to need to be instructed on how to present yourselves. So we'll just have your stylists brush up on things with you later when we get there."

I nod. "So what are we supposed to do for the rest of the day?" I ask.

"Oh, whatever you want, I suppose," shrugs Mags. "Just don't get into any trouble." Then she stands, and hobbles off back to her bedroom.

"You know what," Bella says thoughtfully. "Finnick, come with me. We're going to work on that...posture of yours." Posture? What? He looks fine to me. Maybe Bella just wants time alone with him, though. Figures. "Aury, just...go somewhere." She waves me off. Pushy much?

So I wander off to my bedroom again. Naturally, I go straight to the panel with the keyboard and make the ocean scene appear again. I smile and walk forward. I'm going to miss the water after I'm dead. I splash into the shallows and sit down, soaking my dress.

Finnick. Finnick Odair. He kissed me last night. And he's such a ladies' man, he's got every girl in Panem drooling all over him. And yet, he decided to kiss me. Why me? I don't just mean, why would Finnick choose me? I mean, why do I have to be burdened with someting like this? Knowing that you could very well be in the presence of a flat out liar, and still letting him kiss you. And knowing that if I do fall for him too hard, I'll regret it. Because by that time, he'll have his eye on someone else.

Maybe Finnick did mean what he said, though. Maybe he _is _in love with me. But why? Just because I refused him so many times? Because he likes fire in a girl, and apparently I have that fire. Probably. I shake my head. I'm not giving completely in to him. Yet. Two can play at this game. And I'm just as capable as he is. But maybe, just maybe, he really is in love with me.

I stand up and let the waves lap at my legs. I breathe in the salty ocean air, and walk back to my bedroom and out the door. My dress still soaked, I tramp down the hallway and to the sitting room. I sit down on the expensive leather couch and watch the fireplace.

I sit there for I don't know how long, when Bella comes back, talking quickly with Finnick. It seems like more of a one way conversation, since she's doing most of the talking and Finnick is only nodding absently. Bella sees me and loses her head.

"Aury! You're soaking wet!" she exclaims. Well, no kidding. "Up! Up!" She shoves me off the couch. "Go get in something dry before you get sick! That's the last thing we need! A sick tribute!"

I do as instructed and walk back to my room. Finnick winks at me as I go by. I feel my cheeks redden and put my head down. I open the door and am attacked by my prep team. Latvia's hugging me, Cleo is fretting about my hair, Rit is telling me all about my makeup for tonight. And Czech is standing in a corner, holding another dress covered by a black sheet. I push my prep team off of me and go to him.

"Is that-" I begin to ask.

"Your dress," Czech finishes my sentence. "Would you like to see?" I nod. "You should probably get a shower first."

I look down at myself. My legs are covered in sand and my hair, well, it's as tangled as anything. I nod again and go to take a shower, using some sort of waterfall scented shampoos and conditioners and soaps.

When I come out again, Czech is holding the most stunning dress I've ever seen, besides my opening ceremony dress. It's as silver and shiny as platinum, and it twinkles every time it moves. I gasp softly. It's so gorgeous, it looks almost like a cartoon. But this is real. And it definitely says "sexy" because when I slip it on, it only falls down to a good two inches above my knees. It's formfitting, like my training outfit, and shows off my curves. My chest looks like it's been cosmetically enhanced, and the dress' neckline is showing a good amount of cleavage. The back is almost toally exposed, except for some thin pieces of shiny silver fabric zig-zagging back and forth.

"Shoes," says Czech. I turn around and see him holding the highest pair of heels I've ever seen. But, despite their size, they're incredibly comfortable. They, like my dress, are silve and shiny and shimmery.

"Czech, this is beautiful," I breathe to him. "And it completely captures-"

"Your 'sexy' approach?" he finishes my sentence. "Yes, I thought it would be best for the to be presented in your dress as well."

Then Cleo goes to work on my hair, and Rit and Latvia go to work on my makeup. When they're finished, I still look like myself, only more defined. My hair is styled in another half up, half down style, with the ends curled slightly. All throughout my hair is silver streaks, running from the top of my head to the tips of my hair. It adds a nice touch.

As for my makeup, my skin is absolutely flawless. Any scars that I had are completely gone, hidden. My eyes have subtle silver eyeliner on the top lid, along with pearl colored eyeshadow. My lower lid has been completely left alone, which is nice.

"We wanted the audience to be able to recognize you," Latvia tells me. I nod, and we go to the elevator and travel down to where the interviews will be held.


	14. Part 1: Shocking Confession

We walk to the enormous stage, where Bella is waiting for us. She takes me hand and leads me behind the stage, where all the tributes are waiting. Cora sees me first and waves. She motions to her chest and then points to me. I look down, then mouth to her, "I know."

I walk to try and find Finnick. And he's there with Luna, getting last minute tips from her. He notices me and winks. Then I remember, I'm wearing my "sexy" dress. He must love that. Luna pats his shoulder and walks away. Finnick comes toward me.

"Well, don't you look fiery," he says flirtatiously.

"Well, don't you look.." I search for the right word, and I find it. I lean up to his ear and whisper seductively, "sexy."

Finnick is dressed in a pale green button-down shirt with a jet black suit coat over it. None of which is actually buttoned, of course. His pants and shoes are equally as black. And he's wearing a silver tie. I pat his abdomen lightly. "Someone like to show it all of, huh?" I say with a laugh.

"If by 'someone', you're refering to yourself, then yes. I would say that," he replies, motioning to my chest. I scoff at him. But this time, it's not really a scoff. It's more of a soft laugh. "Don't worry. It completely screams 'sexy'."

"Great," I say, trying to sound enthusiastic.

A buzzer sounds, and I hear Caesar Flickerman welcoming the audience. And then, Dutchess takes the stage. As soon as she starts answering the questions, I can tell she's going for a cute, thoughtless approach. At least, I think that's an approach. Next is the boy from District 1, whose name I actually failed to acquire. He goes for an arrogant approach. I'm not surprised. He's handsome, but he just looks like he's the arrogant type.

Cora goes for a mysterious approach, not revealing too much about herself or her family. Cole goes for a humble approach. Bree takes the stage, going for a sort of "show-off" approach. I wouldn't call it arrogant. Norbeck goes for just flat out cocky. And pretty soon, it's my turn. I take a deep breath.

"You'll do great," Finnick whispers in my ear. "They'll love you. I know I do."

This takes me aback. I turn to Finnick. I start to say something when Caesar announces, "Ladies and gentlemen, District 4's Auramarina Marx!". So instead, I grab hold of Finnick's tie, stand on my toes, and kiss him. Then I quickly turn away and walk up the stairs leading to the stage. As I come into the light, the audience goes wild. Maybe it's how I look. I put my head down shyly and wave to them.

Caesar shakes my hand and welcomes me. We sit down, and I notice one male audience member waving frantically to me, so naturally, I wave back and smile as cutely as possible.

"Ah, Auramarina!" says Caesar. "May I just say how beautiful you look tonight!"

"Thank you, Caesar," I reply. I notice his bright blue hair. "You look well, too." I motion to his hair. He fixes it jokingly.

"I try," he says. "Now, Auramarina-"

I cut him off. "Please," I say, putting my hand on my exposed chest. "Just call me Aury."

"If you insist, Aury! Now, I have to ask this question. What's it like being the district mate of the famous Finnick Odair?" Caesar asks. The crowd goes insane at the mention of his name.

"It's such a pleasure," I tell Caesar. I sit up and puff out my chest. "But he's so incredibly good-looking that it is a bit of a distraction. Wouldn't you agree?" The audience screams in agreement. I can almost hear Finnick laughing. I'm being honest, though.

"I bet it is," Caesar agrees. "What went through your mind when your escort, Bella Blume, announced that you would be with Finnick in the arena?"

_Are all my questions going to be about Finnick? _"I was shocked," I admit. "I mean, I didn't ever expect a thing like that to happen."

"I see," he says. "I understand you have quite a large family at home?"

"Yes," I say. "Two brothers, Plover and Heron, a sister, Lily, and my parents."

"Ah, and how do you think they reacted when your name was called?"

"Well...I guess they were upset. I mean, I would be upset if any of my other family was reaped."

"Do you wish that one of them would have volunteered for you?"

I give Caesar a serious look. "No."

The buzzer sounds, signalling my time is up. I stand, shake Caesar's hand, and strut off the stage, puffing my chest out and waving goodbye to the audience, who are screaming their heads off. Probably because they know that Finnick is up next.

As I walk down the stairs, I catch Finnick staring at me. He smiles, and I duck my head down shyly, because I can feel my cheeks reddening. I walk past District 5, and I see Blair grinning like an idiot at me. I laugh a little and walk past her to where the rest of the tributes who already went are standing. They're watching the huge television that's set up. I go over to them. Cora notices me and waves over. I walk over to her.

"Finnick's turn," she sqeals excitedly. I roll my eyes at her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the famous Finnick Odair!" Caesar announces. Cora screams, along with Dutchess and Bree, almost as crazily as the crowd. Finnick goes onto the stage, with his shirt half on, half off, and waves to the crowd which is in a frenzy for him.

"Finnick! So nice to have you here again," says Caesar as he shakes his hand. They sit down and the crowd is still screaming Finnick's name. Some people evn throw different flowers to him. He picks one up and winks at them all, which sends them into hysteria. I think I even see one lady faint.

"It's great to be here, Caesar," he replies brightly. _Lies. _

They go through a small session of Caesar asking various questions. And no matter what Finnick says, the audience cheers. Finally, Caesar asks questions that really capture my attention.

"Now, Finnick," he starts. "What do you think of you district mate?"

"She's...well, she's amazing," says Finnick. "I mean, she's beautiful, she's smart, and she definitely knows how to get all the guys to like her." Big laugh from the crowd. I even laugh myself. I look around at the other tributes. They're all staring at me. Becaus they think I'm so lucky to be complimented by Finnick Odair.

"Ah, I see what you mean," says Caesar. "I liked her plenty." Another laugh. "Now, before we sign off, anything you want to say to your lover back home? That is, if you have a specific one."

Finnick laughs a little. Then turns and speaks directly to the camera. "I love you. You're so special to me and...I've never met anyone like you." Then he puts his head down. After a short pause, he picks his head back up. "And I hope you do well in the arena." It takes a moment for what Finnick just said to sink in. The audience gasps.

"Finnick, I'm not sure I heard that right," says Caesar, pretending to clean out his ears. "You said, 'I hope you do well in the arena'...and so that must mean..."

Finnick nods. "I'm in love with Auramarina Marx, my district mate."

I let out a small gasp. Finnick told me he was in love with me already, only, I hadn't believed him. Now, saying it in front of all of Panem, and in front of all his other lovers...that must mean something, right? I look to my left, then to my right, and see all of the other tributes staring at me with their mouths open in the same expression as mine. Shock. I look away and put my head down, hiding from all of them.

Finnick's buzzer sounds before Caesar can reply. So he stands, shakes Caesar's hand, and walks off the stage, leaving the crowd with gaping mouths. He comes over to me. All the tributes make a path for him, staring at him in disbelief. He takes me by the arm and pulls me behind a wall and away from the rest of them.

Then he just stares at me. After a minute, I whisper, "Are you really in love with me?"

Finnick sighs. "Yes," he whispers back. He leans down and kisses me passionately. And I finally admit to myself, I'm in love with him, too.


	15. Part 1: What's in the Past?

"Finnick, what you said out there..." sighs Mags as we travel up to the fourth floor in the elevator. "Beautiful. I would _never _expect you to say something like that. Especially with all your other Capitol lovers out there."

"They're not exactly 'lovers'," I remind Mags defensively.

"True, but they'll pay a good price-" She slaps her hand over her mouth. Finnick's eyes widen and he looks at her.

"What?" I ask, turning my head to her. "They'll pay a good price? For what?"

"Nothing," she replies quickly. The elevator doors slide open and she walks as quickly as she can away from me.

I turn to Finnick. "What was she talking about?" I ask.

Finnick sighs deeply. He shakes his head. "Nothing," he says.

"That's not an answer," I say impatiently. I cross my arms.

"Really, it's nothing. It's in the past," he tells me quietly. He steps off the elevator, with me glued to his side.

"What's in the past?" I ask, grabbing his arm.

"Finnick! You had me crying during your interview!" says Bella, entering the room and pushing between us. She puts her hands on his shoulders. "It was so...touching. Imagine, the great Finnick Odair, pouring his heart out on national television!"

"Thanks, Bella," says Finnick.

"I never would have guessed that, given all the other lovers you have, you would have fallen in love with a district girl, instead of a Capitol girl," she continues to gush. _Is that such a crime that he fell for me, and not a Capitol girl? _I think irritably. But I still can't help wondering why he did. "It's so...romantic." She falls into Finnick's arms and he winks at her. Her cheeks redden.

"Aury, go to bed," she instructs me. "Tomorrow you'll be in the arena."

"No shit..." I say.

"Lose the attitude," she says. I shrug, indifferent. "Go to bed, will you?"

I scoff at her and turn away, actually heading to my room. I almost ram into Mags. "Oh, sorry," she apologizes. "I just remembered, I wanted to say goodbye to you two. I won't be there when you're getting your final preparations done. Only your stylists will be."

Finnick drops Bella and walks toward Mags, standing beside me. He holds out his hand. "Goodbye again, Mags," he says. She takes his hand and they shake.

"Thanks for all the help," I say. I extend my hand and she takes it in her bony hand.

"It was my pleasure," she says. "I'm going to miss both of you. May the odds be ever in your favor. Both of you." Then she nods briskly and walks off to her room and closes the door quietly behind her.

"I guess it's my turn to say goodbye, then." Bella walks over to us from where Finnick dropped her. She brushes off her dress and shakes out her hair. "I'll miss you both. But who knows? I might see one of you again."

"Maybe," I say.

"Maybe," she agrees grimmly. Then she pulls us both to her for a long, meaningful hug. "You two are quite a pair. It was an honor to be your escort." She nods to us, and then walks slowly to her bedroom, her head down and her hands on her face.

Finnick and I stand next to each other akwardly, not knowing what to say. What is there to say? This time tomorrow, we'll be in the arena, fighting for our lives. I shake my head a bit. The stress of this whole thing is unbearable.

As if on cue, Finnick pulls me to him and embraces me, completely enwrapping me in his arms. My hands rest on his chest. "I don't want to go into the arena," I say, rather childishly.

"Believe me, neither do I," says Finnick. "We're Careers, though. We have a little bit of an edge."

"Careers get killed too," I remind him. Finnick probably thinks I'm talking about myself being killed, but really, I'm more worried about him being killed. I sigh.

"Don't worry. You seem to have favor among a lot of the other tributes," he says. "Particularly the males."

"You seem to have favor among the tributes, too. Particularly the females," I counter.

"Are you worried about them?" he asks. _I'm worried that you're faking this whole thing, for publicity! _

"Yes," I whisper. Then I look at Finnick and bat my blue eyes that he says he loves so much at him. I lean up to him and whisper seductively, "Very worried."

Finnick laughs. But I'm not kidding. I'm serious. The other tributes have just as much looks as I do, if not more. And it wouldn't take much for Finnick to change his mind and move on. He likes different girls. He doesn't like staying tied to one, from what I hear.

"Well, you shouldn't be," he tells me in the same seductive purr he always uses. "You can 'out-sexy' all the other tributes with no problem."

I laugh a bit. "Good," I say. "I try." I grab his face between my hands and kiss him. He puts his hands on my back and pulls me closer to him. As if we weren't close enough.

He continues on kissing me and holding me to him, and the whole time, I'm wondering what the other tributes felt when Finnick confessed loving me. Jealousy. That's the first thing. And then probably hatred, because of jealousy. Oh, good. So now I'm more of a target just because I have Finnick Odair. Great.

"I guess I should go to bed," I say, finally stopping my kisses. I grab Finnick's tie and kiss him one more time. Then I flick it upward in his face. "Goodnight, Finnick."

"Goodnight, Aury," he says back. And I walk off to my room, my heart consumed by love and my mind consumed by fear.


	16. Part 1: You're the One Who Started It

It's no surprise that I have nothing but nightmares, given all that's been going through my mind. Some are of my family being killed off, some are of Finnick being killed, and some are even of me being hunted down by a pack of envious female tributes. Those ones actually make me laugh a bit. But I still wake up screaming, and I still look up and see Finnick laying next to me with his arm hugging me to him. When he sees that I'm awake, he kisses me. Nice.

"Nightmares?" he says.

I nod. "Screaming?" I ask. He nods back. Then kisses me again.

This time, he doesn't stop for anything. And I don't resist. I roll ontop of him and his hands go immediately to my back. His kisses grow more rapid and more passionate, and pretty soon, I find myself clawing at his shirt that he's actually wearing. He flips me over and practically rips it off and throws it to the ground. Then he goes on kissing me.

Our kisses become even more passionate, and I'm worried that the nightdress I'm wearing will be on the ground with Finnick's shirt. I push him up and roll back ontop of him. I kiss him again, and again, and again.

"We have to stop," he gasps.

I laugh and lean my forehead on his. "You're the one who started it," I say. I kiss him once more and lay back on my side of the bed. I'm surprised that Finnick was the first one to suggest we stop. He's Finnick Odair, after all. "You realize this is the last night we can be together without all of Panem watching?"

"I do," he says, scooting closer to me. "But that doesn't mean we have to do it tonight."

"Why? You'd rather do it with thousands of people watching?" I ask, laughing. "Because that's gross."

"No, I'd rather do it when we aren't about to be sent to our deaths."

"It's a little late for that. I doubt I'll be coming back. You might be, but I won't be."

"Don't undergrade yourself so much," Finnick tells me. "You'll survive a long time."

"But not the whole time," I mutter. Finnick's only response is a long kiss. I stop talking.

We lay there for I don't know how long. Finnick lays his arm across my stomach and pulls me to him. I roll on my side and curl up to him. I lay my hands on his chest and he tightens his grip on me. I don't mind. It makes me feel...protected. More so than I have in a while.


	17. Part 1: Sixty Seconds

I soon fall asleep, with my head on Finnick's chest. When I wake up the next morning, he's still there. Sleeping, of course. I shake him awake. Even when he's just woken up, he's still stunning. He smiles and kisses me. I stand up and walk to the door, looking left and right for anyone. I close the door and go back to Finnick.

"You should go," I say. I don't like kicking him out, but it's only a matter of time before Luna comes looking for him. Because today we go into the arena.

"Yeah, right," says Finnick sleepily, running his fingers through his hair. He gets to his feet and walks out without another word. Maybe he's just as worried as I am. Not a minute passes before my prep team comes bursting through the door.

"Good morning!" exclaims Cleo gleefully. _Not really..._

"Did you sleep well?" asks Rit, starting to comb through my hair.

"What?" I say dumbly. "Oh...yes. I did." _Better than I care to let you know. _

"You're going to need it," says Latvia. She hands me a brown shirt and a pair of black pants. "Here, put these on. Get a shower first, though."

I do as directed. After I step out of the shower, Latvia hands me the outfit I'll be wearing in the arena. I put them on. They're tight to my skin, like the clothes I wore while training, but they're not too tight. I move around in it, stretching my arms, kicking my legs. It fits nicely.

"How's it feel?" asks Cleo, combing my hair, while spraying it with some sort of shimmery liquid.

"Perfect," I say honestly. Cleo starts to style my hair, but I push her hands away. "I can do this part." She just nods and steps away.

I put my hair in a low ponytail to the side of my head, laying it over my shoulder. I look at myself in a mirror. I look almost exactly like I would back in District 4. I nod my head slowly and smile a little.

Latvia and the rest of my team take my all the way to the roof to be taken to the catacombs under the arena, where we can say goodbye to our stylists. A hovercraft comes and I climb onto the ladder hanging down from it.

"Goodbye, Aury!" they all call to me. "I hope we'll see you again!"

I try to wave goodbye back, but my arm is stuck to the ladder's rung. I start to struggle against whatever's holding me, but it's no use. So I just nod and smile at them before the hovercraft takes off. Good thing for whatever is holding me in place, because the hovercraft is moving so fast, I don't think I would be able to hold on without it.

A few minutes after we take off, I'm lifted into the hovercraft, where all the other tributes are actually waiting. I thought they had left already. Apparently not. I sit on a metal stool and a woman in white comes toward me holding a syringe.

"This is your tracker, so the Gamemakers know where you are," she tells me. I nod, unable to speak, as she plunges the syringe into my left arm. Then I sit there, until we reach the arena. The catacombs, rather. District 1, 2, and 3 get off before I do. The hovercraft's doors slide open and I step down the small flight of stairs until I reach the ground, where Czech is waiting for me.

"Good luck," I hear Finnick call, though his voice is muffled by the roar of the hovercraft taking off again.

Czech puts his hand on my shoulder. "Aury," he says. He leads me to a small room, where a glass tube sits in a corner. It's where we'll be released into the arena. The thought makes me shudder.

"Here, put this on," says Czech, handing me a blue jacket. "And you might want to put this on, too." He hands me a camisole and a pair of skin-tight shorts. I run my fingers along the material.

"Waterproof?" I say, tipping my head. "There'll be water?"

"The odds may be in your favor a bit," Czech tells me, smiling.

I smile back. I take off my shirt and pants and slip on the camisole and shorts under it. They're surprisingly lightweight. Then I put the jacket on, which is also waterproof and tight to my skin. "Okay," I say, testing my movement. "It fits good."

"One more thing," he says. He takes a silver chain with a disc labeled "4" on the front and slips it around my neck. "All tributes have these this year." Then he pulls me to him and hugs me tightly. "Don't lose. Win. Do well. Don't let me down. Got it?" He says this like he's my mentor.

"Got it," I say back. Czech pats my head and nudges me toward the glass tube. I step in. A loud sucking sound comes, and I'm blasted upward. About five seconds of darkness, and then, blinding light. I blink a few times, focusing in. And then, I see it. A beautiful, enormous lake, glinting in the bright sun. And then I notice, the water is below me. I'm on a cliff. A high one, at that. I gasp softly. What are the Gamemakers trying to do? Drive us to insanity? I doubt any more than a handful of tributes are okay with being up this high. I personally don't mind.

I look around the neat circle we're organized in and I realize, we're all dangerously close together. The cliffs we're on can't be more than ten feet apart, and the tribute directly across from me, which happens to be Cole, is about twenty yards away. Not much room to dive off without landing on each other. It'll take a miracle for that to happen.

I stare over to cliff, which I estimate to be about thirty feet up, and see the Cornucopia, all golden and shimmery, placed on a lone island in the middle of the lake. A booming, thunderous voice sounds overhead, counting backward from sixty. Sixty seconds is all we get before we have the bloodbath that takes place in the first few minutes.

I try my best to examine the contents near and in the Cornucopia. Weapons and backpacks, mostly. There are even some on the top of it. I scan the faces of the other tributes. Some of them are stony and void of expression, some are wide-eyed and fearful and shaking. I wonder what I look like. Am I shaking? Am I as weak looking as some of the others? Or am I expressionless. I hope for the latter.

A breeze comes and lifts my hair off my shoulders, making it blow all around me. I wish I wasn't here. I wish I wasn't about to jump thirty feet into water, and eventually, to my death. Maybe I won't even make it past the bloodbath. Maybe I'll die before I even hit the water. I shake my head as the voice above says, "Ten..." Ten seconds. I take a deep breath and brace myself to dive. "Five, four, three, two, one."


	18. Part 1: It Begins

The gong sounds, and without even thinking, I dive off the cliff. I expect to feel my body impact with a rock, not water. But it never happens. Instead, I'm sucked down under the water, floundering pathetically to the surface. Once I catch my breath and recover from the impact, I set my sights on the Cornucopia. I go back under the water and swim for it in flawless maneuvers. In no time, I'm hauling myself onto the land and sprinting to the Cornucopia.

I slam my hands on the hot metal and start to climb. I don't know for what, exactly, but I climb. And once I reach the top, I know this was a good choice, because I see them. A small group of beautiful silver spears, just waiting to be thrown. I race toward them.

Suddenly, I'm swept off my feet and my back is slammed onto the Cornucopia. I feel hands on my throat. I fight in vain to get them off, but it's no use. My attacker is stronger than I am. And it's a boy. The boy from District 1, from what his chain tells me. He's wearing a silver chain, like me, and probably all the rest of us. He spots my chain, too, and immediately hops up, leaving me coughing for air. I wonder why he let me go, and then I remember, I'm a Career. District 4. He holds out his hand, but I shove it away, pulling myself to my feet.

"Sorry, Four," the boy says. He holds out his hand again. "I'm Tex. District 1." Tex is a large guy, with long, straight dark brown hair and green eyes.

"Aury," I tell him, deciding not to waist my breath on saying my full name. "District 4, obviously." I shake my chain and take his hand. We shake and Tex sets his eyes below us. I pick up one of my spears, poised to throw it at Tex, just in case, and look where he's looking. All around, there are tributes fighting, clawing onto the island, or dead. I throw one of my spears at one of them, nailing them right in the chest.

"Hmm," I hear Tex huff. "Nice shot." Then he throws one of his knives into the back of another tribute.

"You too," I say back. I don't particularly love killing people, but I guess it's not that bad, escpecially when there's a deep purpose behind it. Surviving.

I spend a few minutes throwing my supply of spears at different tributes, until finally, the bloodbath is over. The tributes are either dead or they scattered. I scale down the Cornucopia after Tex to where the rest of the Career Tributes are. They give me one look and I know I'm welcomed, which is a nice feeling. I stroll up to them. And almost immediately, it's apparent that Tex has appointed himself leader. He's handing out orders left and right.

I stop to get a look at my surroundings. Huge cliffs are all around, enclosing the Cornucopia in a sort of roofless cave. In between each cliff is a passage way to go through. It would be easier to appreciate the beauty of the landscape, if only it wasn't the place I'm going to die.

"Cole, keep an eye on those cliffs. Dutchess, hold this and keep it ready to kill. And Bree..." He pauses and gives Bree a long stare. "Just be grateful you're here," he finishes gruffly. Bree nods silently, not looking at Tex.

I walk up to her and put my hand on her shoulder. She smiles at me. "District 3 aren't usually Careers," she tells me. I already knew that. "Maybe I should be grateful."

"No, you shouldn't," I say. "Why didn't you get away from here when you had the chance?"

Bree sighs and, with her head down, says, "Because I wouldn't survive long without Norbeck. And he's dead."

I'm surprised. Norbeck was a decent sized guy. He couldn't have been killed off easily. I'm about to ask how he died, when I hear Tex shouting for me. He's uneccessarily loud. "Aury!" he calls. At least he has the decency to call me by my name. I pat Bree shoulder and go to him.

"What?" I say, standing in front of him.

"Do me a favor and go find Finnick," he tells me.

"He's not here?" I ask, looking around. Sure enough, he's no where in sight. _Great, leave me alone with the Careers. _

"No," Tex says icily. "He's either dead or he ran off like the coward he is."

This takes me aback. I glare at Tex. "Finnick Odair is not a coward," I say slowly.

"Whatever," Tex replies, brushing me off.

"What have you against him?" I persist.

"He thinks he's so perfect. And maybe he has a right to think like that. He's got every girl in Panem lining up for him." He glances at me. "Sorry. I probably shouldn't say that in front of you."

I shrug. "It's fine. I know he's got a lot more lovers than just me," I say, trying to sound indifferent. "I'll go and find him." I pick up my remaining two spears and walk away.

The cannons start firing. I count the shots in my head. One, two, three, all the way to twelve. Twelve. Twelve dead in the first three minutes.

I walk to the opposite side of the Cornucopia, where I can't be seen by the other tributes. I sigh and lean back against the metal. Then I walk to the edge of the island. Finnick isn't dead. I know that much. But where could he have gone to? There aren't any places for him to go without being seen by someone. My question is answered as I'm yanked into the water by my feet.

"Finnick!" I yell as I surface, shaking my hair out of my face.

He climbs onto the land and pulls me up with him. Then he hugs me tightly. "You made it," he says.

"So did you," I reply. I kiss him and take him back to where the other Careers are.

"Look who's here," Tex remarks bitterly. "Finally."

"I found him, didn't I?" I retort.

"Took you long enough," he snorts.

"Where do we go from here?" Cole's voice sounds from behind me. I look around for Cora, but she's not here.

"Water," says Tex.

Finnick points behind him. "Water, right there," he says, purely for the purpose of annoying Tex.

"I meant drinking water, Odair," Tex replies angrily. He turns around. "Let's go down that one." He points to the passage way directly to the left and starts toward it. The rest of us follow wordlessly behind.

As we walk, I notice Cole dragging behind. Finnick pulls ahead, to Dutchess, and I pull back to Cole. I find it almost funny that even after he said he loves me, he's still all over other girls. I guess he likes to keep me wanting more... I look at Cole and smile. To my surprise, he looks at me and smiles back.

"So...Cora didn't make it?" I ask. Terrible way to start off a conversation.

Cole shakes his head. "No. She didn't," he says quietly.

"Oh," I reply. "That's too bad." I'm not just trying to make conversation, I mean it. I liked Cora, unlike some of the other female tributes.

"Yeah, it is," Cole says. "She was like a sister to me."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yes. We'd known each other since we were about eight, I would say."

"Wow. Well, I'm sorry you lost her."

"Me too." And we stop talking.


	19. Part 1: He Used to Sell Me

"What's up with your rivalry with Tex?" I ask Finnick as we walk, side by side.

"You caught that, huh?" says Finnick.

"How could I not?" It's pretty clear that he and Tex don't favor each other.

Finnick laughs. "Tex won the 62nd Hunger Games when he was fifteen. He was the center of attention in Panem. And then, I came along and...well..."

"I get it," I say. So jealousy is what drove Tex and Finnick to dislike each other.

After a few more minutes of walking, we stop. We're surrounded by a dense, thick forest. It's beautiful, really. But it holds too many dangers to be truly beautiful. We sit down on the soft, plush grass. I lay back and stare at the sky, which is a lovely light blue color. It's too bad so much death happens here. Finnick sits next to me and I notice Dutchess and Bree sit next to him. I scoff at them. They start chattering away about things that I don't care about, so I do my best to tune them out. But from what I do hear, Finnick is responding to them. And they're giggling their heads off.

I sit up and get to my feet, highly annoyed by them. I wander off, though I know it might not be the smartest thing to do, to a tall tree with low hanging branches that are absolutely consumed by thick, long leaves. I sit down at the base of the trunk and put my head in my hands.

"It's nice here," I hear a voice say. I lift my head up and see Cole standing in front of me.

"Yeah," I agree. This is the first time I've heard Cole's real voice, and I'm surprised it's as strong and steady as it is.

"So..." he says akwardly. "You and Finnick?"

"What about it?" I ask, harsher than I mean to sound.

"It seems kind of unlikely that _he_ would be the one to tell _you _that he loves you," says Cole.

"I know," I say quietly. Then, without meaning to, I continue. "Sometimes I wonder if...you know, maybe he didn't mean it. Maybe he just said it to acquire more of those Capitol girls, to make them jealous."

"Finnick's not like that," Cole tells me confidently. My only response is a sigh. I turn my head away from him. "Look, I just thought you'd like to know that Bree and Dutchess are like putty in his hands."

"So?" I ask, rather defensively.

"So, he might just take advantage of that." And he walks away, leaving me there.

"You were the one that just told me he wasn't like that," I mutter under my breath. But maybe he's right. Maybe I'm right. Maybe Finnick doesn't love me, but the idea of having even more girls in love with him, because of what he said. By saying that he loves me, he's showed them that he's capable of loving. And they'll swoon over that.

I shake my head, stand up, and walk back over to the Careers. As soon as I get there, Tex is on me.

"Where do you think you were?" he demands. I feel my face turn into a scowl.

"I think I was just over there," I retort, pointing in the general direction of the tree I sat under.

"Don't wander off like that," he orders. "Got it?"

"You're not my mentor," I remind him angrily. "So stay out of my business." I start to walk away, when he grabs my arm.

"I'll get in whoever's business I want," he growls. I glare at him, about to come right back at him, when Finnick's hand pry Tex's from my arm.

"Except for Aury's," he snarls back at Tex, shoving me behind him.

Tex comes closer to Finnick, until they're noses are almost touching. "Don't get yourself into trouble, Odair," he says menacingly. He turns around and stalks away.

I give Finnick a push away from me. "What do you think you're doing?" I demand. "You think I can't fight for myself?"

"I felt like I needed to help you out," says Finnick simply. I hear Bree and Dutchess _aww _behind me. They walk past me and to Finnick. I scoff at them all and turn my back.

For a few more hours, we walk. I don't know what we're looking for anymore. Water. There was a small stream that we found, flowing down a huge boulder. We got out drinks there. Now, maybe we're just looking for somewhere to sleep for the night. And we find it, just as the sky starts turning orange. It's not much. A clearing surrounded my dense trees and bushes. But it's better than being exposed. And alone.

"I'll take the first watch," Finnick volunteers as we all start to settle down.

"Me too," Dutchess pipes up. I roll my eyes. Typical, idiotic, desperately in love girl. She skips over to Finnick and sits down next to him.

"Okay. Do whatever you want," says Tex indifferently.

I settle down next to Bree, who still looks nervous about being with us. I don't understand why. She's strong enough to fend for herself, even without Norbeck. I give her a reassuring nod, and she smiles and rolls onto her side, facing away from me.

The sky is now a lovely dark blue, almost black, color. The moon shines right above me, and the stars twinkle next to it. I wish they were my stars and moon, and not the Gamemakers' creations. But they're too pretty to be real. I look to my left, then to my right. Tex is sound asleep, snoring so loudly I'm worried that it will alert anyone and everyone where we are. Cole is stretched out on his back. He was clearly watching the moon before he fell asleep. And Bree is curled up next to me, twitching because of her dreams. Or nightmares.

I'm afraid to go to sleep. I'm afraid I'll have nightmares, and I'll start screaming. This is the worst place to make a lot of noise. I finally sit up, realizing I won't be getting much sleep. Then I hear Dutchess and Finnick chattering. I crawl stealthily over to where they are and listen, concealed by the thick bushes. I can just make out their faces, lit up by the moon.

"You really love Aury?" I hear Dutchess ask Finnick.

Finnick hesitates. Great. Really nice. "I think so," he replies. I get why he said that. It's because he really isn't sure. He told me he was sure, but that was for my benefit.

"You think so?" Dutchess says, giving him a confused look.

"Yes," says Finnick, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, I hope you figure out your real feelings soon," she snorts. "For Aury's sake. And maybe mine, too." Then she gets to her feet, coming back to wake the next person for watch. I immediately lay down and pretend I was asleep, not eavesdropping. I feel Dutchess' hand on my knee, shaking me "awake".

I open my eyes, trying to look sleepy. "I'll go take the watch," I tell her. She nods and goes over to Tex and settles down next to him.

I stroll over to Finnick and sit next to him. We sit there in silence. Maybe he's trying to sort out his "real feelings" like Dutchess said. Maybe I'm doing the same. Maybe there just isn't anything to say.

"So, did you hear any of what I said to Dutchess?" Finnick asks.

"No," I lie. How can I tell him the truth? "I heard you talking, but I couldn't hear what you were saying." Then I turn to him and ask, "Why?"

"Because she was asking me if I really love you," he says. I'm surprised he actually told me.

"And what did you say?" I ask, trying not to sound too concerned.

He hesitates. Again. "It doesn't matter what I said," he tells me. "I know how I feel, and no one can change that. Not even..."

"What?" I ask. "What were you going to say?" I move closer to him and rest my chin on his shoulder and my hand on his knee.

He takes a deep breath. I feel him tense. "President Snow," he says quietly.

The answer takes me aback. "What's he got to do with anything?" I ask. "Especially you."

Finnick sighs. I move to him so my body is facing his. He shakes his head and I put my hands on his shoulders. I hug him to me and he puts his face in his hands. Then he picks his head up and stares right at me, burning his sea-green eyes straight into mine.

"He used to sell me," he says in a hushed tone. "He used to sell my body to the Capitol girls."


	20. Part 1: Finnick's Past

I feel my jaw drop. President Snow used to sell Finnick's body? I never would have expected anything like that. I thought that Finnick's attitude and flirty personality were just natural. But it turns out they were drilled into him by Snow. Right now, I want to take everything back. Every word or thought or action against Finnick and how he would seduce every girl into liking him... I want to take it all back. I didn't even know his whole story, and I judged him.

This explains it all now. His enormous sea of Capitol lovers. They were never real lovers, like I had suspected. Just people who bought and discarded other people, because they could. More regret fills my heart. This is exactly what I accused Finnick of in my head. Buying people, and then throwing them away, because they couldn't do anything about it. He's Finnick Odair.

I shake my head, not wanting to believe it, and put my face in my hands. I feel Finnick wrap his arms around my back as best he can and pull me to him. I want to resist. I don't want him near me. Not now, anyway. I can't bear to feel his arms around me anymore. It's too much. It wasn't his fault he was turned into a prostitute for the luxury of Snow, but I still don't want him. My body won't fight against Finnick, though, so I just sit there with him.

After about a minute, I lift my head and lock my gaze on his. I take his hand in mine and hold it tightly. "Why?" I ask.

Finnick holds my hand just as tightly. "If a victor is considered desirable," he begins. I hate that word. Especially now. "President Snow will sell them for an exhorbtion of money."

"Were you the only one?" I ask flattly, expressionless.

"No," he replies.

"But you were the most popular," I say.

"Yes. Unfortunately," he says. I keep a grip on his hand. "Snow would call me on a regular basis to travel to the Capitol for them. The women, I mean. If I refused, he threatened to kill someone I loved. So I did it."

I sit there in silence for a moment. I feel my eyes well up with tears for him. I pity him. "When did he start?" I finally ask.

"The day I turned sixteen," says Finnick. "And...he's still doing it." My eyes widen and my heart plummets. "The prices he's offered are getting higher and higher by the month."

"Finnick..." I breathe. "You...you have to stop it." I shake my head to clear my thoughts. "Just...say no."

He shakes his head at me and pulls me to him again. I put my hands on his chest, feeling his heart pounding. "I can't," he whispers. "Not now."

"Why not?" I ask.

"Because if I refuse now, the first person he's going to go after is you." He holds me tightly to him.

Me? He'd go after me? Because of Finnick? No, because Finnick loves me. And he'll kill the people Finnick loves if he refuses. And right now, I'm the most vulnerable and defenseless against Snow. I'm in _his _Games, after all.

I pause for a second. "Is that why he put you in the arena again? So he'd get an even higher price on you?"

"Probably," says Finnick honestly. He leans his head down to my ear and breathes, "I love you."

_How many girls have you said that to? _I wonder. But this time, I don't mean it as an offense. I mean it as an actual question. How many girls has he told that he loves them? A lot, I guess. But the real question is, how many girls did he say it to, and mean it?

I don't respond with words. I put my hand on his neck and kiss him. He lays back and pulls me ontop of him. I don't care. I don't care at all. I know I love him.

I move off Finnick's body and lay beside him. I roll onto my side to face him. He's staring at the sky now, his face illuminated by the moon's light. I lay my head on his chest and grip his shirt tightly in my hand. He hugs me to him with one arm and rests the other on shoulder. I don't ever want to let go of him. I don't ever want him to let go of me either. I want to stay with him, forever. Because I know I can be the one to save him from the future that awaits him in the Capitol. At least, I hope I can. I'll try.


	21. Part 1: Jealousy

For the entire night, I doze in and out. My hand is still gripping Finnick's shirt when I wake up to the sun rising and the sky turning a rosy color. I let go out his shirt and stare at the wrinkle I made in it. I shrug and lean over and kiss him. He wakes up and runs his fingers through his hair.

"Finally awake?" I hear an angry voice say behind me. A voice that can only belong to Tex, of course. I turn my head to him. He's standing with his arms crossed and his knife in hand, like he's ready to slit our throats.

"Obviously," I retort. I get to my feet and face him. He's so much bigger than I am, and he's extremely intimidating. But I still hold my ground.

"Good," Tex huffs. Then he turns to the rest of the Careers, who are actually still sleeping. He walks over to them and kicks them lightly to wake them up. Nice. "Get up, all of you."

Cole sits up and shakes his head. Dutchess sleepily rubs her eyes. And Bree stretches her arms and picks up her knife. I look down at Finnick, who's getting to his feet. He embraces me tightly, and walks over to Tex. _What's he going to start now? _I wonder.

"Why are we up so early?" he asks, making a full circle around Tex. "Last time I was here, I didn't wake up until the afternoon. And I still made it out."

"We're up because I said so," Tex growls. "If you want to start anything, all you need to do is make the first move." I groan and push myself between them. I'm about to ask where we're supposed to be going, but since being nice to Tex was never something I was good at, I decide to keep up my current attitude toward him. Rebbelious.

"And who made you the leader?" I hiss, pushing my face into his. I'm surprised he actually backs off a little.

"I did," he says back. He doesn't give me the chance to say anything else. He just walks away, which is a signal for us to follow. We do. Even though he's not the nicest person, I still have to respect that he could kill me easily.

We walk wordlessly for about an hour. And once again, I have no idea what we're looking for. Maybe tributes to kill off. And we find them. There's the sound of leaves russtling, and the entire "pack" of Careers is turned around, looking for the person who made that sound.

I'm about to move closer, when Tex puts his arm in front of me and shakes his head no. I scoff at him and let him go instead. He'll find out soon enough what I'm actually capable of. Not five seconds pass before the girl from District 9 comes barreling through us, running for her life away from Tex, who is chasing after her. The rest of us start to take after him, and pretty soon, we've caught her. She's laying on the ground, cowering away from Tex, who has his sword raised, about to deal a death blow.

"Don't!" I whip around and see Finnick, pushing his way between Tex and Nine.

Tex's face flushes with rage. He glowers over Finnick. "Why not?" he demands.

"Because she's so..." He searches for the right word. "helpless." He's right. She is. Even if we hadn't caught her, she'd be dead in a matter of days.

Finnick helps the girl to her feet. She stands in front of us, shrinking behind him. She's small. Even smaller than me, which is saying something, since I'm pretty slim. She has almost black hair, gray eyes, and pale skin. Dutchess walks over to her.

"What's your name?" she asks.

"Fae," the girls answers. "District 9."

"No kidding," snorts Tex. "No one from any other district could cower like Ditrict 9."

Fae only nods, not daring to disagree with him. Finnick is still standing defensively in front of her, which makes me...uneasy. I glare at Fae with distrusting eyes. Maybe it's actually jealousy, though. Finnick turns to her and she jumps into his arms. This sets me off. I advance toward her, but Cole grabs my shoulders before I can. Good thing, too. Because I could easily kill her.

"What are we going to do with her?" Cole asks.

Tex doesn't hesitate, despite Finnick's objections. "Kill her," he says simply.

"Why?" asks Finnick. I stare at him, burning my gaze into his.

"Why are you fighting so hard to keep _her _alive?" I ask icily, tightening my grip on my spear.

"She's right, Odair," Tex growls. "Why a_re _you doing it? Do you have something...special with her? Or do you just think she's pretty?"

"Probably all of them," I say. I can't believe I'm ganging up on Finnick like this with Tex. But jealousy has gotten the better of me. I'm enraged.

Without even giving it a second thought, Tex runs his sword straight through Fae's stomach. She lets out an awful choking sound, but she doesn't let go of Finnick. Instead, she grabs his face and kisses him. This throws me over the edge. I toss my spear at her, and it hits her with a loud crack. Because I've just punctured her spine. She dies immediately, and crumples to the ground. The cannon fires, and suddenly, I feel a twinge of remorse. Why did I kill her? Why did I have to do that? But in reality, she wouldn't have been the one to go home anyway.

The other Careers' eyes stare at me in disbelief. Then, they're congratulating me and patting me on the back. _I just killed a girl. It's not something to be too proud about. _I look over at Finnick. He's standing over Fae's body, unmoving.

"Why did you kill her?" he asks. _I'm asking myself the same thing. _

I don't respond. I just stare at him, and Cole stands beside me. "I think you know why," he says, in the most unfriendly voice I've ever heard from him. "Some girls don't like it when their boyfriends kiss other girls." He glares at Finnick for another moment, then walks away, with his hands balled into fists. _What's gotten into him? _

I give Finnick one more look that says, "_Exactly."_, and turn my back on him to the other Careers. I'm not particularly happy about Fae kissing Finnick, but I can't say I'm as enraged as I was. It wasn't his fault. She was the one that kissed him. But I can't relent too quickly.


	22. Part 1: Finding More Tributes

"I was really surprised at how you pulled through back there, Aury," Tex says to me as we continue our search for more tributes to slaughter. "I never expected you to be the killing type." _I'm not. _

"Oh, thanks," I say quietly.

"Something wrong?" he asks.

I look up at him and shake my head. "No. Nothing." _Yes! Yes, there is! _The thought of Fae kissing Finnick, and him somewhat responding to it...it's got my mind all messed up. I shake my head again, and Tex shrugs and pulls ahead to the front of our "pack". Finnick takes his place.

"Aury," he says. I look at him. "Are you okay?"

"Okay?" I ask in disbelief. "Oh, I'm fine. Just fine." Sarcasm, of course.

"Look, I'm sorry about Fae," he tells me.

I pause. Then say, "Did you know her before now?"

"Not really," he admits. "I had seen her maybe once or twice."

"Did you have anything with her?"

"No. Not at all."

"Then why did you-" Finnick cuts me off.

"I didn't plan on her kissing me," he reminds me.

I sigh. "I know." Finnick leans over to kiss me, but I stop him. I look up at him.

"I don't want to taste District 9," I say flattly. This takes him aback, and I think I see a bit of pain reflect in his eyes. I immediately regret saying this, and I stand on my toes and kiss him anyway. He smiles and I pull ahead of him. It's too bad I can't stay mad at him for long. If I could, he would be in huge trouble.

We only walk for about another thirty minutes before we see a cloud of smoke just ahead of us. Someone has a fire going. _Idiots. _I shake my head. Idiots get people killed. Tex motions for us all to stay quiet and advances stealthily forward. After a moment of weaving between trees and bushes, we come to a small camp, probably sustaining two or three people.

Three people. Camouflaged by the dense trees, we're able to see three people moving. I recognize them instantly. Well, I recognize two of them instantly. Glade, my favorite person ever, and Lyon. They're sitting near the fire, cooking some sort of bird. The other one I think I recognize as the boy from District 8. He's sitting farther off, clearly not feeling comfortable around the other tributes.

Tex motions to me. I hold up three fingers, telling him that there are three tributes ahead of him. He crouches to the ground, telling everyone else to do the same. We do, and he looks back at us. He winks and then burst through the trees to Glade, Lyon, and Ditrict 8. This sends them into a panic. The rest of us follow his lead and run into their camp, slashing at them with our weapons.

Of course, who else am I fit to fight with than Glade? She's just beyond my reach, and at the last minutes, turns and sweeps me off my feet. She pins me down, holding my arms to the ground with her knees. She pulls out a knife, about to kill me, when I resort to my last line of defense. Spitting. I spit in her face and she back off. I scramble to my feet and jab at her with my spear. I catch her deep in her right arm, and have to literally yank it to get it out of her. She cries out in pain, and I decide to let her live. For now.

I run away from Glade, hoping that she's too weak to pursue me. I stop short when I see all the blood that is flowing like a river now. Lyon is laying lifelessly on the ground, with blood gushing from a deep wound on his neck and soaking the leaves. I leap over his body, and see Finnick fighting with Ditrict 8. And next to him, Finnick looks incredibly small.

Dutchess is next to Finnick, dodging and weaving around Eight's punches of slashes. Finnick has a gash on his cheek, and she has a cut on her leg.

"Russett!" I hear Glade yell from a distance. So that's his name? Russett? The boy has rust colored hair, so the name seems fitting.

Finnick manages to stab Russett in the chest, but not before Russett slashes at Dutchess' throat. Blood spews from both of their wounds, and at the same time, they fall to the ground, and their cannons fire. I run over to Dutchess' body and kneel down beside her. Her eyes stare lifelessly into the sky. I gently close them, and stand up. Then I turn to Finnick, who's panting now.

I walk up to him and gingerly wipe away some of the blood from his cuts. He smiles and presses my hand to his cheek. Tex races up to us.

"What happened?" he demands. "What happened to Dutchess?" He stares at her body, covered in blood.

"If you had been here, helping us, you would know!" Finnick shouts.

"I was here, Odair!" Tex yells back. "I was chasing down the rest of them. I, unlike you, don't need another person to take all the punches for me!"

"It's not my fault she died!" says Finnick angrily. "I tried to save her!"

"Well, you failed! It would have been better for everyone if you had been the one to get killed!" Tex kneels down next to Dutchess' body and craddles her head in his lap.

I lay my hand on Finnick's chest and rest my head on his shoulder. Tex couldn't be more wrong. It wouldn't be better for everyone if Fininck died. Maybe for him, but not everyone. Especially me. He kisses my head and hugs me closer to him.

I dare to walk over to Tex and lay my hand on his shoulder. "She was a good person," I say.

"I know," he replies quietly. I start to wonder if he and Dutchess had loved each other. He gets to his feet and takes one last look at Dutchess. Then he turns his back to her and moves away. I can't help pitying Tex a little. If he did love Dutchess, I can't imagine what it must be like to have just lost her. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose Finnick. It must be horrible.

There's eight of us left. In a matter of days, we'll have to split up. No alliances ever work out when it comes down to the last five. I'm not exactly looking forward to splitting up. I'm not sure how long I'll survive. Then again, I've shown I have the ability to kill.

"Aury! Move!" I hear someone screech behind me. Impulsively, I drop to the ground, avoiding whatever it was they were telling me to move out of the way of.

I feel hands on my body, helping me to my feet. I push them all off once I'm standing, and look straight in front of me. Not five feet away from me is a red muttation. It looks like a cat crossed with a monkey, and it's already getting back up. It lunges, right at me, but drops to the ground in mid-flight, because Finnick has decapitated it with Tex's sword. I stare at the motionless mutt. Why did it purposely come after me, and not anyone else?

"Are you okay?" Finnick asks, dropping Tex's sword and coming toward me.

"I'm fine," I say. "What...why did..."

"Why did it go after Aury and not the rest of us?" Bree finishes my sentence for me.

Finnick shakes his head. "I don't...I don't know," he replies quietly. _Yes, you do, _I think to myself. He's just hiding it from the rest of us.

I'm about to protest, when Cole steps up next to Finnick. "Are you sure you don't know?" he hisses.

Finnick hesitates, but still says, "Yes, I'm sure." He shakes his head and hugs me to his chest and kisses my head.

"Are there any more?" Tex asks, scanning the trees for the mutts.

"I don't think so," Bree replies.

Too bad she's wrong. All at once, what seems to be a thousand mutts lunges at us. They howl to each other to communicate, I'm guessing. And they stomp on the ground to communicate, too.

"Run! There's too many!" Tex shouts. He takes off with the rest of us following closely behind. And the entire time, I can't help wondering again why they all seem trained on killing me first.

I feel the mutts snapping their jaws at my feet. I push myself to run faster. We continue running until a cliff is in view, just in front of us. It's leaning out over a huge body of water. _Perfect, _I think. Everyone starts to slow down at the sight of this, besides me and Finnick. He knows what we have to do.

"Keep running!" I shout to them. "Keep going!" They do.

As we near the edge of the cliff, I shout again to keep running. They do, and at the same time, we all dive over the edge of the cliff, hitting the water in a symphony of splashes. My head is sucked under the water, but I manage to resurface and catch some air before being dragged down again by the turrential waves. I put my arms out in front of me and swim with the current, toward land, I think.

As I lash my arms out again, I start to feel sand. Soon there's enough for me to stand up on. I crawl onto the land and lay down. I catch my breath, and sit up. I see Finnick swimming flawlessly toward me, and I see Tex trying his best to keep his head above the water. Cole is already climbing onto the sand. As for Bree, there's no sign of her. I start to worry.

Finnick stands up in the water and comes toward me. He sits down and puts his arm around my shoulder. I hug my knees to my chest and can't help thinking, Finnick knows something about this that I don't.

"Where's Bree?" Tex asks, after pulling himself onto the sand. Unfortunately, a cannon fire answers his question. My jaw drops a bit. Bree is dead? That's terrible, considering I actually was fond of her. I shake my head. Life goes on, right?

"Bree's dead?" Cole asks, moving over to the rest of us.

"I guess so," I answer quietly.

We sit in silence for a moment, like we're having a vigil for Bree. Then Tex stands up and says, "Come on. We should probably find some place to sleep for the night." He's right. The sky is already darkening to a lovely purple color. _Goodbye, Bree. _


	23. Part 1: At Least it Wasn't Finnick

I lay awake for a while, not able to fall asleep. And now that I think about it, I haven't gotten much sleep since we got to the arena. I sit up and stare at the sky. I wonder what my family is doing. Maybe they're sleeping, maybe they're still awake, maybe they're watching this right now. The thought brings a smile across my face. And then I wonder, how long have I been gone? We've been in the arena for about three days, and we spent about two weeks in the Capitol. So probably about three weeks.

I hear a twig snap, and I whip my head around to the sound. I don't see anyone, but I hear someone shushing someone else. Cautiously and silently, I pick up two of the knives we have and move toward the sound. I hear more shushing and I immediately crouch behind a bush.

"Do you have to be so loud?" I hear one voice say. It's a boy.

"Sorry," another voice says, a girl.

I figure I should let them know I'm here, so I toss the knife at the. It misses, but I intended it to miss. It lodges itself it the tree behind them, and their eyes widen in shock. They look around frantically for where the knife came from. I stand up and step out from behind the bush, gripping the second knife tightly in my hand. I put my hand on my hip and cock my hip.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I ask bitterly. The boy has short spiky black hair, and bright green eyes. And the girl...I know her. But I can't place a name.

"I...we..." the girl stammers. "We were just..."

"It's called walking, Four," the boy says back, just as bitter. "Or haven't you heard of it?"

"You know, you're not exactly in the position to be talking like that," I hiss.

"There's two of us and one of you. So why not?" the boy demands, advancing toward me. I don't back up.

"Because I'm here with her." I whip around and there's Finnick, gripping a spear in his right hand, poised to throw it at any minute. "And so are the rest of the Career Tributes." At the mention of the Careers, the girl shrinks away from us. The boy, however, remains ignorant.

"Hmm," he huffs. He extends his hand. "I'm Thistle. District 12." Finnick takes his hand and they shake. I don't. I don't trust him enough. "And this is-"

"Yeah, we know," I interupt. "She's Blair, from District 5." I knew I recognized her from somewhere.

Thistle glares at me. I smirk at him. "So, Odair," says Thistle in a mocking tone. "Now that you've caught us, what are you going to do with us?"

"We're going to kill you, obviously." A gruff voice that can only belong to Tex sounds behind me. He's gripping his sword tightly in his hand and is being back up by Cole, who is glaring at Thistle and Blair.

"I'd like to see you try!" Thistle growls menacingly. He stretches out his arms. "Go on! Who wants first shot? You, princess?" He stares at me and I stare straight back. I'm about to hurl my remaining knife straight into his heart, but Finnick steps defensively in front of me. I start to push him away, but Tex lunges at Thistle before I do, so there's no need anymore.

Thistle, still having his eyes trained on me, isn't expecting to have Tex land on him. I can hear the air knocked out of him when he falls to the ground. Tex stabs at him a few times, but Thistle manages to dodge every one with ease. I turn my attention to Blair, who's watching Thistle be attacked in horror. She starts to run, but Cole catches her and slices his stomach with his knife. I run over to Blair as she falls to the ground. Her breath in coming in shallow gasps now, and I can tell there isn't a chance that she's going to make it. So I just kneel down next to her and hold her hand as she dies. It's the least I can do for her. When her breathing finally stops, and her cannon fires, I close her eyes and stand up.

I turn my attention back to Thistle and Tex, who are now fighting each other head on. Cole is standing by, planning the right time to jump in. And Finnick has his eyes trained on me. I decide I should probably help Tex kill Thistle, but he seems to be doing fine on his own. That is, until Thistle manages to pin Tex to a nearby tree. He cuts Tex's forehead, just above his eye, and blood streams from it, probably blinding him.

I start to run over to Finnick, who is moving toward Thistle and Tex, when I'm completely attacked. I roll onto my back and see Thistle's hating face glaring at me. He's about to stab my skull straight through, when he's heaved off of my and thrown to the ground. I get to my feet and see Finnick glowering over him. I've never seen him so enraged. He spears Thistle in the left arm, which holds him to the ground, and lunges for him. But it's Cole who deals him a death blow to the head. Finnick nods and comes to me.

"Before you ask," I say as he starts to pull me to him. "I'm fine." I'm ashamed, actually. Because having the chance to fight Thistle myself made me look weak and like I need two larger guys fighting my battles for me.

"Good," says Finnick, hugging my head to his chest.

"You didn't have to do that," I say. "Both of you." I look at Finnick, then at Cole, then back at Finnick.

Finnick just shrugs. I notice that he's bleeding from his lower lip. So, naturally, I reach up and kiss him. I look over at Cole. And, to my utter surprise, he collapses in a pool of his own blood. I choke out a light scream and go over to him. Tex is already there. He flips Cole over, and there's a huge stab wound in his lower stomach. His cannon fires.

I hang my head and gently close his eyes. I hate myself. Because he died helping me. He died for me. And I hate myself for it. But I can't help thinking, _At least it wasn't Finnick. _It sounds incredibly selfish, but it's true.


	24. Part 1: Insanity

The rest of the day is silent. We sit where Cole and Thistle and Blair died, until the sun begins to go down. Then we find a small clearing to settle down in.

The entire night, I can't sleep. As usual. I stare at the sky, the moon, the stars. There's only four of us left now. Me, Finnick, Tex, and Glade. The odds are not in any of our favors right now. I look to my right, where Finnick is sleeping. I lean over, and kiss his cheek lightly. Then I look to my left, where Tex is. I pat his back and stand up. It's about time for me to be seperating from them. I don't want it to come down to me and either of them. Especially Finnick. I gather my spear and a knife, and leave.

I walk in the dark for about five minutes, when I hear a low, gutteral growl. "Where are you going?" it demands. Tex.

I turn around to him. "There's only four of us left," I say. "I think it's about time we all seperate."

"You can't leave," he says, stepping into the moonlight. His face is twisted with hatred. I begin to wonder if Tex has gone insane. Or if he always was. I expect the latter. "You can't go."

"I have to," I say back, starting to walk away. "I don't want it to come down to the two of us."

Tex grabs my arm in a grip that cuts off my circulation. I struggle from his grasp. "You can't leave, Four," he says maniacally. "You're here, with me, whether you like it or not."

With one final yank, I pull my arm from Tex's iron grip. _You're here with me whether you like it or not. _Is he kidding? He has to be kidding. He's insane, and I'm ready to kill him. "Whatever, Tex," I hiss. "I'm leaving now."

"No," he whispers as I start to walk away. I quicken my pace to a light run. I hear him scream again, and then I feel his hands around my neck, and my back being slammed against a tree.

Tex's face is so twisted now I don't even recognize him. He smiles slightly and tightens his grip on my throat. "Look at you," he says. "You're so helpless now. I guess looks aren't eveything, huh?" I struggle against him. But his grip on me is so strong that I'm practically immobile. "Aury and Finnick. What a beautiful couple. It's too bad you won't be alive to see him anymore."

"You're insane!" I screech, still struggling.

Tex just laughs. "Insane?" he says. "No. Not at all." He runs his hand along my face, clearly relishing this moment. "I'm doing you a favor, actually. Once they catch you, they'll kill you, yes. But slowly."

"What?" I gasp. "What are you talking about? Who's going to kill me?"

He leans his head right next to me ear and whispers, "The-" but is cut short. He lets out a small, strangled cry and lets go of my neck. I drop to the ground, coughing and trying to catch my breath. My hands go to my throat, and I feel blood coming from a cut right in the middle of my neck. I hadn't even realized Tex had cut me.

Once I stand back up, my hands still gripping my bleeding neck, I see Finnick, holding a bloody knife. And I see Tex, lying on the ground, with blood gushing from a deep stab wound on his back. His cannon fires, and Finnick embraces me tightly in his arms.

"Finnick," I say. He leans down and kisses me. "Thanks for that."

He continues kissing me. I'm forced to give him a light shove away from me so that I can catch my breath. Seeing the cut on my throat, he takes his shirt off and wipes all the blood away. _What a flirt, _I think to myself.

"There's only three of us left," I say. "Me, you, and Glade."

"I know," Finnick whispers.

"What are we going to do?" I ask. "Seperate? I don't want it to come down to the two of us. Odds are, if we seperate now, Glade will kill me, and I won't have to worry about killing you." I say this with a joking tone.

Finnick laughs. "I don't know," he admits. "Why don't we...just...stay together for a while longer?"

I hesitate. Staying together is dangerous. Glade might get killed by some other force of nature, and then it'll be down to Finnick and I. But I don't want to seperate from Finnick. I finally nod, and Finnick hugs me again.


	25. Part 1: Trying Hard to Kill Me

We find a spot near what looks like an ocean where we settle for the rest of the night. I, of course, don't sleep. I sit at the edge of the water, watching the waves lap at my feet. I stare out over the horizon, wondering what's beyond that point. The arena can't go on forever, right?

I hear Finnick stir behind me. He comes up and sits next to me. "No sleep?" he asks.

"No," I reply. "I don't even bother trying anymore." I sigh. Finnick puts his arm around me and hugs me to him. "I want out of here."

"So do I," says Finnick. He kisses my forehead. We sit together in another minute of silence.

"Did you hear what Tex was saying before you killed him?" I ask. Finnick doesn't respond. He only sighs, so I go on. "He was saying something about...someone hunting me? And...you killed him before he told me who he was talking about."

Finnick sighs again and pulls me closer to him. "I don't..." he begins. He shakes his head. "Remember when I told you that I can't refuse the Capitol anymore, because the first person they'd go after is you?" I nod. He lowers his voice to a barely audible whisper. "I think...I think that might be what they're doing now."

"What?" I ask, shocked.

"The Capitol might be purposely trying to kill you," he whispers. "because they want me to come back again from the arena. I think President Snow is behind the whole thing. He'll get an enormous amount of money for me if I do make it back, a second time. That's why he's trying to kill you. Just because he wants me back, to get even more money."

I don't say anything back. I don't know what to say. President Snow is personally trying to kill me to get his precious Finnick Odair back. Because he wants money. Because he's willing to sell Finnick for it. Because he's selfish.

"Aury," Finnick breathes next to my ear. "I love you. I promise, you won't die. You won't die at his hands. I promise. I love you so much."

I sigh. "I never knew Finnick Odair was so...capable of love," I say. Because it's true. I never would have guessed Finnick had the capacity to love as much as he says he does.

"I never knew I was either," he admits. "I thought that all the love I ever had had been sucked out of me, stolen, by the girls who bought me."

"That was never real love you felt towards them," I remind him.

"You're right," he says. "It was just an act I had to put on for them. For President Snow. But this...what I feel towards you now...this is far from an act."

This brings a small smile across my face. Finnick does love me. And I love him. I take his face in my hands and kiss him. Then I lean my forehead against his and whisper, "I love you." And I realize, this is the first time I've told him that. I also realize that I mean it.

We lay on the beach for a while, staring at the stars. I doze off a few times, and then I wake up to the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore. Finnick still as his arm around me. I shake him awake and sit up. He smiles and kisses me.

"We should eat," I suggest, because I've realized that it's been days since I last ate. I stand, grab my spear, and wade into the water.

I stand there, motionless, for about five minutes. At last, I see a silver fish swim under my feet. I drive my spear downward, but I miss. Only because Finnick has decided to come splashing through the water. Purposely, of course.

"Finnick!" I say, laughing. "I almost had a fish!"

"I bet I can catch one in half the time you almost caught one," he says.

I toss him my spear and cross my arms. "Go for it, then," I tease.

For what seems like an eternity, he stands there, in the shallows, waiting for a fish. Finally, I think he sees one, because he splashes the spear into the water. And it comes back up with a fish. He grins at me.

"Nice," I say.

"Thanks," he says back. He tosses the fish onto the sand and turns back to the water. "You're turn." He hands me the spear back.

"Fine," I shrug.

I plant my feet firmly in the gushy sand and wait. And all at once, I see a school of small silver fish swim around me. I'm about to spear one, when they start to bite my legs. I kick my feet, trying to scare them away, but it's no use. They keep biting at my legs. Then they actually grab hold of my legs and start tugging. I fall on my back in the water, and they start to drag me out further into the water.

I hear Finnick yelling and I feel his arms on mine, pulling me back to the shallow water. I manage to crawl back onto the sand, coughing and gagging on all the sea water I just swallowed. Finnick picks me up and craddles me in his arms. I only allow this for about ten seconds before I push away from him and lay face down in the sand.

I sit up after a minute and stare at the sky. Why me? That's all I've been asking myself lately. Why me? Finnick fell in love with me. Why me? I killed a girl out of jealousy. Why me? I'm being hunted down personally by President Snow. Why me?

I pull my knees up to my chin. Finnick puts his arm around me. I'm tempted to shrug him off, but my body won't move, so I leave it.

"He's trying pretty hard to kill me, isn't he?" I say quietly.

"I guess so," says Finnick. _Thanks, that helps a lot. _"But don't worry."

"How can I not worry?" I murmur. Thankfully, he doesn't hear.

"We should probably get out of here now," he says, helping me to my feet.

"Before something else tries to kill me," I say. Finnick looks at me, like he's expecting to see a smile on my face. Like he expects me to be joking. But I'm not. He starts to laugh a little, which, of course, brings a smile to my face. "I'm serious." I shove him lightly.

Finnick and I move deeper into the forest, away from the water. When we stop to take a break, I hear a metalic clang next to me. I get to my feet and walk toward the sound. And to my surprise, a golden trident is staring me in the face. A huge smile crosses my face.

"Finnick!" I call. He comes running and his face lights up when he sees the trident. "Just like last time, huh?"

"Just like last time," he agrees. He picks up the trident and wields it around perfectly, like it's second nature to him. And, in reality, it is.

We return to our resting place. Not five minutes pass before I hear a huge cracking sound. I turn my head left and right, trying to pinpoint the sound. And I realize, it's coming from above me. I look up and, to my horror, a tree is tipping over in my direction. I groan frustratedly, and run, grabbing Finnick's arm as I do. The tree misses me by inches, just barely stroking my legs.

"Again?" I yell at the sky. "Why?" No answer. But I already know why. It's because they want Finnick back. I wonder if they're doing the same thing to Glade, since she also threatens the chances of Finnick returning.

"Shh," Finnick shushes me. He puts both his arms around me. "It's okay. You're okay." He leans down and kisses me.

I smile at him and we move on, keeping a lookout for mutts or falling trees or Glade. We actually make it to safety in a small cave by the time the sun starts to set. Finnick begins to start a fire to cook the fish he caught, but I stop him.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"We need to eat," he replies.

"Are you sure you should be making a fire, though?"

He shrugs. "Glade has to know we're the only ones left by now. And if she knows, she knows." He goes back to starting a fire, and I don't try to stop him.

Soon he has the fish cooked, and we eat. I'm not very hungry, despite the days I've gone without food. After I finish eating, it starts to rain. It's beautiful, really, and it brings a smile to my face. Finnick puts his arm around me and hugs me to him. "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you, too," I whisper back. I may be fighting for my life against the Capitol and the Gamemakers, but I can't push down the feelings that Finnick stirs up inside me.

I lean up and kiss him, then I lay my head against his chest and grip his shirt in my fist. He lays back and I quickly drift into sleep, for the first time in a while.


	26. Part 1: Sacrifice and Capture

When I wake up the next morning, it's clear that the Gamemakers have turned up the heat. It feels like the sun is constantly on my face and body, and I begin to sweat almost instantly. Finnick is the same, though he's still gorgeous. He's awake too, and doesn't seem too bothered by the heat. He sees that I'm awake, and kisses me.

"Hungry?" he says.

I shake my head. "Not really."

"Well, good. Because there's no food left, anyway," he replies with a laugh.

I laugh and shove him lightly. I stand up and wish the water near us wasn't infested with fish that tried to kill me. I would love to sit in the water, especially since the weather is like this. How can it go from pouring rain to scorching heat so quickly? But, then again, this isn't the real world. This is the arena. And the Gamemakers control it. I shake my head and take a step forward.

Instantly, an orange trail of light flashes across my face. I back up. _What the hell was that? _I stick my head out the cave's mouth again, and another one crosses me line of vision, barely missing my head. More come, and before I can move, I feel strong hands on my back.

"Aury, move!" Finnick shouts. I don't have to move. He pushes me down. I land with a slight grunt, and I shove Finnick off of my back. He lets me up, and starts to run, pulling me with him.

I run alongside him without question, because what's happening is clear. Another attack on me is happening. Honestly, I wish they would just kill me already. I'm getting tired of always running from them. I shake my head and keep pace with Finnick, who's still gripping my arm.

I finally realize what's being shot at us. Rather, at me. It's fire. Pure fire. It seems somewhat ironic that fire is being shot at a District 4 girl. Fire is the weapon they chose to attempt to kill a water girl. Funny.

I feel some of the fire catch my left arm. I grip it in pain, but keep running. At last, Finnick stops running. He looks around, then looks at me, then collapses to the ground. I drop down with him and I notice his back is badly burnt. He must have been hit when he pushed me down.

I gingerly run my fingers along his back, assessing the damage. I hear him groan in pain. I think about what I can do for him. And I start to feel horrible. He got burnt saving me. It's my fault he's hurt now. I feel panic and guilt start to rise in my chest, when I hear a soft clang right next to me. I look over and see a parachute, holding a silver container. I don't hesitate to grab it and open it. There's medicine inside, for Finnick's burns, and a note attached to the side.

_Use this well. And don't feel guilty about what happened. _

_He wanted to save you. He loves you. _

_ -Mags_

I laugh a little. I manage to sit Finnick upright, with his back facing me. I slip his shirt over his head and apply a generous amount of the medicine to his back. He sighs at the relief it brings him.

"Thanks," he says.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have these burns," I say ruefully.

"Don't say that," he tells me, taking my hand in his. He notices my arm, which is burned as well. "You need some of that too. Don't waste it all on me."

I do as directed and apply a bit of the medicine to my arm. The pain subsides almost immediately. I smile at the relief and turn back to Finnick. "Do they hurt much?" I ask.

He shrugs. "No," he replies. I scoff at him. "Not really."

I put my hand on his cheek and rest my forehead against his. "You get to wander around shirtless again. You should be happy," I say jokingly.

"Oh, I am," says Finnick. He kisses me and I stand up.

"Are you okay to walk?" I ask him. "I don't want to push you, but I don't want to stay in one place for too long either."

"I think so," he says. He gets to his feet, slowly, but when he's standing, he looks fine. "That medicine is a miracle."

"It is," I agree. Because the burn on my arm is almost completely gone now. I examine Finnick's back. The huge burn that was once there is now a small, darkened patch of skin. In another minute or so, it'll be completely gone. "Come on, then." I take his hand and we move on.

As we walk, I can't help noticing how eerily quiet it is. There aren't any birds singing, and I don't hear any wind. It's even more disturbing, given I'm being hunted right now.

"Attention tributes!" a voice booms overhead. "There will be a feast taking place today at the Cornucopia, where rewards await each of you! And just so you all know, the location of the Cornucopia has been changed."

I look at Finnick. He shrugs. "Good to know," I say. "I guess they want to end this."

"Guess so," Finnick murmurs. I lean up and kiss him.

"What did you want to do?" I ask. I mean, does he want to split up or stay together until the very end.

"Go to the feast," he says. "And I guess we'll have to split up there."

"Well, Glade will probably be there," I say. "And she'll probably kill me before..." I don't finish my sentence. I glance around the forest. "Where do you think they moved the Cornucopia to?"

"I have no idea," he says, shaking his head. "Somewhere where there aren't a lot of trees. Probably a clearing of some sort. Or in the middle of a body of water, like it was before."

I nod and continue through the trees. Something ahead glistens in the sunlight. I take off toward it and, of course, it's the Cornucopia.

"Wow," says Finnick, coming to stand beside me. "That was fast."

We stand side by side, examining the golden metal of the Cornucopia. On the inside are bags that have our district numbers on them. And right in front of me are two bags labeled "4". I look at Finnick. He nods.

"I'll go first," he says. He doesn't give me a chance to respond before he sprints to the mouth of the Cornucopia and grabs one of the bags. He turns to me, wink, and takes off again. But this time, he stops short. He looks at me. His eyes are wide and he screams to me. I whip around, and behind me, Glade is glowering over me, prepared to kill me.

She drives her knife downward, straight for my skull, but I actually manage to dodge it. I make a bee-line for the Cornucopia. The second I place my hands on my bag, I'm attacked again. Not by Glade, but by tributes.

I let out a strangled cry, because the tributes I'm being attacked by are all the tributes that died this year. I recognize almost all the faces. Bree, Cole, Cora, Tex, Blair, everyone. All their faces are grotesque and bloody and mangled. They look just as they did when they died. Except for their eyes. Their eyes aren't theirs; they're all black and hollow looking. And they're on me in a second. They claw at me, like they're trying to rip my skin off. I manage to climb to my feet and run as fast as I can, still gripping my bag.

"Aury!" I hear Finnick yell.

"It's them!" I scream back, motioning for him to run. "It's all of them!" And Glade.

I keep running, but when I'm finally at the safety of the trees, I can't escape into them. Whenever I try to run further, a sort of force field pushes me back. I start to kick at it, my foot bouncing back every time.

"Aury!" Finnick yells again. I feel him wrap both his arms tightly around me. "Aury, it's okay. It's okay."

"No!" I scream. "Can't you see them? It's all of them! The dead tributes!" I try to push him away, but he keeps a firm grip on me, hugging me to his chest.

"Shh," he shushes me. "It's okay, Aury."

"No, it's not!" I continue screaming. "Because they're all after me! Not you!"

"Aury," Finnick whispers. "They were never there."

"What?" I gasp.

"The tributes you saw were never real," he tells me slowly. "It was just the Gamemakers, trying to drive you insane." _They did. _

I take a deep breath and relax. But only for a moment, because Glade is still out there. I turn my head around to look for any sign of her. I see nothing. Until...

"Aury, move!" Finnick shoves me away from him and I fall to the ground. I quickly scramble to my feet.

I grab the knife that I dropped and turn around to see Glade, standing over Finnick's bloody body. She's laughing maniacally, and I have no choice whatsoever, but to hurl my knife straight at her. It lands with an awful cracking sound, signaling that I've punctured her skull. She slumps to the ground and her cannon fires.

I push her body away with my foot and kneel down next to Finnick. He's not dead; his cannon never fired. He opens his eyes and smiles at me.

"Hey, Aury," he says casually.

"You're crazy," I say. "You just got stabbed, because of me."

He shakes his head and shrugs. "That's okay," he says. "It doesn't hurt that much." He actually sits up and leans his head against a tree. I notice that he didn't get stabbed in his chest, but in his upper arm.

"Finnick," I say quietly. He looks at me. "There's only us left now. I killed Glade."

Finnick sighs. He takes my hand in his and whispers, "Kill me, then." I shake my head dismissively.

"I can't-" I begin. But I'm interrupted by the loud roar of the hovercraft coming to take Glade's body.

A claw comes down and grabs her bloody body and lifts her up. I expect the hovercraft to leave after that, but it doesn't. It sits there, with a constant drone that's so loud I can barely hear what Finnick is saying.

"Run!" he shouts.

I can't. My muscles won't work, even if I did want to run. I'm practically glued in place. I turn to look at the hovercraft. It's landed now, and the doors of it are sliding open. And who else would step out but President Snow.


	27. Part 1: End: President's Plan

President Snow takes slow, careful steps out of the hovercraft and to the ground. He's clapping slowly, and he's wearing a sadistic grin that makes my stomach drop. I stand up slowly, and so does Finnick. He grips his arm and winces. President Snow comes slowly toward us, followed closely by his Peacekeeper guards. He smiles and nods to them. They advance toward Finnick and grab him. He fights with them, but given that there's about five of them and only one of him, he's overpowered. They hold him in a sort of headlock with his arms behind his back, and one punches him hard in the stomach.

"What are you doing?" I screech. Instantly, two of the Peacekeepers turn their attention to me. They grab me in the same headlock and hold a blade to my throat.

"You know," President Snow says. "Finnick." He glares at Finnick and walks toward him. "I'm a little dissapointed in you." He pats Finnick's head lightly. "Not only did you expose what we've done with you to the entire nation, but you also dared to intervene in our mission to dispose of this..." He glares at me with cold eyes. "Auramarina." He practically spits out my name.

Finnick struggles against the hold the Peacekeepers have on him, which only leads to being punched in the stomach again. President Snow laughs.

"Now," he hisses, staring Finnick straight in the eye. "I think, in order to be sure that you'll cooperate with us, we have no choice but to annihilate your district mate." He laughs again. "After all, we need you back at the Capitol. There are so many ladies who are interested in you."

"And what will Panem think of you killing me like this?" I demand.

Snow laughs again. "My dear," he says. "Panem isn't watching. Not anymore. Prior to this moment, we created a fake tape that shows you being so calously murdered by District 7, and Finnick killing her in revenge."

"People will never buy that," I growl.

"Oh, I think they will," Snow says. "People are so naive these days." He turns his attention back to Finnick. "Are you ready to return home to us?"

Finnick glares back at him. "No," he says. "Not at all."

"Hmm," Snow huffs.

He looks back over at me and nods to the Peacekeepers. One of them grabs a gun he has in his belt and aims it at me. I hear Finnick scream, then I feel a needle-like pain on the side of my neck, and then I feel nothing.


	28. Part 2: Prologue: I'm Lost

_What are they doing? Why are they doing it? Where am I Am I dead? No, I can't be. But what is happening? I don't know where I am. I don't know what to do. I'm so lost. I'm afraid. I don't know what to do…_


	29. Part 2: How it Happens

My eyes flick open. At first, I think I'm dead, because of the blinding light in front of me. But then I realize, I'm staring at a pure white ceiling with light reflecting off of it. It's still blinding, and I shut my eyes again. Where am I? I try to gather my thoughts.

I'm sixteen. I was reaped. I was thrown into the arena. I fell in love with Finnick Odair. I killed a girl from District 9, a boy from District 1, and a girl from District 7. Finnick and I were captured by President Snow. Everyone now thinks I'm dead because of him. I was shot. And now I'm here. It doesn't add up.

Where am I? Where is Finnick? Where is President Snow? Where is my family? And most importantly, what is going to happen to all of them? My family is probably mourning for me. President Snow is probably sitting back and raking in all the money he can get his hands on. And Finnick...he's probably at the mercy of Snow, and is probably being forced to sell himself once again.

It's my fault, too. Really, it's President Snow's fault, but it's my fault that Finnick has to go through this again. He was doing perfectly fine, with no threats hanging over his head like they were. But then he fell in love with me. And now, once again, he's obeying Snow. Because if he didn't, Snow would kill me. And he doesn't want me to die. Because he loves me.

I open my eyes again, slowly, and I stare at the ceiling. I attempt to sit up, but there is a metal restraint over my mid-section. And there are metal cuffs around my wrists and ankles. I struggle vainly to get free of them, but it's no use. So instead, I stare at the ceiling some more. _I hate being restrained..._

I hear a door open and close. I turn my head to where the sound came from, and I see a woman, dressed in a white tunic that completely covers her neck all the way down to her ankles. She's very pretty, with blonde hair, like mine, and dark brown eyes. She has a slight build, also like mine, and is of medium height. When she catches my eye, she smiles. I don't smile back. How can I?

"Hello, Auramarina," she says, walking towards me and leaning on the bed I'm strapped to. I glare at her with the most sadistic glare I can manage. She just smiles again, unaffected. "My name is Evre."

"So?" I spit at her. I honestly don't care what her name is, or who she is. I just want out of here.

"I've been assigned to take care of you," she tells me in a soft, gentle voice. "Why don't we get these metal bands off you?" That's the first thing she's said that has interested me.

I nod and try my best to smile a little. "Okay," I agree. Evre presses a button located under the bed, and the metal bands slide off my wrists and ankles and waist. I quickly sit up, but realize that it was a mistake to do so, because my head starts to feel dizzy.

"Easy, Auramarina," says Evre, gently pushing me back down. "You're still a little uneasy from the fluids."

"What fluids?" I hiss.

"Oh, dear," she says, pushing her hand to her cheek. "You don't remember anything, do you?" I shake my head. She goes on. "You and Finnick Odair were taken by President Snow. But you gave them some trouble, so they shot you with a huge amount of death venom."

"I didn't give them any trouble," I say defensively. "And if it was 'death venom', then why aren't I dead?"

"Oh, death venom doesn't kill you," Evre says simply.

I pause, comprehending what she just said. "So change the name," I suggest irritably.

"Death venom only knocks you out," she says. "And for a while, too. But if you ask me, they gave you a bit of an overdose of the stuff."

"I bet," I mutter. I cross my arms and stare at the ceiling again. Then I ask, "What did they do with Finnick?"

"After they shot you with the venom, he went a bit..." She searches for the right word. "psychotic. And, don't ask me why, but they knocked him out as well. But they didn't use the venom."

"They just used their fists, right?" I say.

"Right, unfortunately." Evre shakes her head. "And when they got him and you into the hovercraft, they almost immediately sent a Capitol girl into the room where he was. She paid a high amount of money for him and had been waiting for him for a while."

"Well, that was stupid," I say. "He wasn't even in good condition, and they had him giving himself to them? Already?"

Evre nods. "Before you ask, I don't have any idea where they're keeping Finnick now. I never actually saw him. I just heard the story."

"And they assigned you to me?" I ask. Evre nods again. "Well, you won't have to do much. I can manage."

"You think that now," says Evre. "But you're in worse condition than you think."

"What?" I say, looking down at myself. I realize that she's right. My legs are damaged and bruised and look five times skinnier than they already were. My arms are burnt and bruised and also extremely skinny. I put my hands to my face, and I'm delighted by what I feel. I don't feel any cuts or bruises, and it feels smooth and undamaged. "It's not as bad as I thought it would be." I play with the white dress I'm wearing, running the material between my fingers.

"Yes, you're face has retained its beauty," Evre comments. "But your body..."

"I know. I look like I haven't eaten in a year," I finish her sentence. I run my hand up my arm, feeling the bones beneath my skin.

"Well, now that you're awake, I think we can change that." Evre leaves the room for a minute, and comes back with a plate of food. I don't mean to eat so greedily, but I'm so hungry, I can't stop myself.

"Where am I?" I ask her after I've finished.

"Under the Capitol," Evre replies.

A few seconds after she says this, three Peacekeepers come into the room and pick me up. I struggle away from them, but I'm not in the physical condition to, and I soon give up. They carry me down a series of corridors and different rooms, until we come to one particular one. It has two huge white doors that slide open before me, and I'm shoved inside.

Inside, there's a long glass table. President Snow is sitting at the end farthest away from me. He motions for me to sit in the chair across from him. I scowl at him, but don't have a choice. I take a seat in the tall chair and glare at him. He grins back at me.

"Aury," he greets me.

"Don't call me that," I snap.

He shrugs, indifferent. "Very well," he says. "I bet you have a lot of questions."

"Obviously," I hiss.

"Well, let's start, then," Snow says. "What would you like to know?"

"Why aren't I dead?" I ask. "Why didn't you kill me like you wanted to?"

"Ah, interesting question. It has quite an interesting answer as well." He gets up and starts circling the table, running his fingers along the glass. "You see, Finnick didn't want you killed, obviously. But we thought that the only way to get him to cooperate with us was to kill you, get you out of the way. It turns out, though, that what we really needed to do was keep you alive, and hold you in the Capitol with us for some time. Only then, with you being used as a weapon of sorts against him, would he do as we ordered." He picks a rose from the vase sitting in the middle of the table. "Finnick Odair would never have cooperated with us unless you were alive."

"So that's why you didn't kill me?" I say. "Because you wanted to use me as a weapon against him?"

"Exactly," Snow replies, with a sadistic grin. "If Finnick fails to do as we say, you may have a very unpleasent time here with us."

"That's low," I growl. "Even for you."

"Maybe," he shrugs. "But we can discuss that later. Right now, there is something I want you to see." He extends his hand to me. I don't take it, of course. So instead, he grabs my arm and drags me down another series of corridors.

We come to a large window, which is probably one way glass. Snow stands me directly in front of it. It takes a moment for me to focus in on what is behind the window. But when I do, I'm horrified at what I see. Finnick, with his wrists cuffed to a table, and with Peacekeepers to his left and his right. There are what must be hundreds of Capitol girls lined up in front of the table, waiting for him. They're handing money to the Peacekeepers, and the Peacekeepers are talking to Finnick.

"What about this one?" I can barely hear one of them say, motioning to the girl in front of him.

Finnick looks up to the anxious Capitol girl before him. He shakes his head. "It's not Aury," he says. "So, no."

"Of course it's not your Aury!" screams the other Peacekeeper. "She's as good as dead if you don't cooperate with us! So do it!"

The Peacekeepers rip the cuffs off his wrists and shove him to his feet, towards another door which is probably where the actual thing happens. He resists, which only leads to being punched. Not in the face, of course, but in the stomach. They've probably been given strict orders to not damage his face. They shove him into the room, along with the Capitol girl, and the doors close behind them.

"Now, you've seen just how it happens." Snow says this in such a gentle tone it terrifies me. I press my hands to the window.

"And I've also seen that Finnick doesn't want to do this," I hiss back. "The girls still pay for him, even though he's so reluctant?"

"Yes," he replies. "They do. I'm afraid, no matter how unenthusiastic Finnick may be, they're still willing to do anything they can to get their hands on him."

"And I'm afraid you're right." I sigh and lean my head against the window. I want desperately to save Finnick from this life.

"Don't worry, dear," Snow says, putting his hand on my shoulder. "All will go well, if you and your precious Finnick cooperate with us. Now, come. You should be getting back to bed."


	30. Part 2: Fighting Over Finnick

President Snow leads me back to my confinement area. He sits me down on the bed. I shove his hands off me and turn my back on him. I hear the doors behind me close.

I let out a long sigh and bury my face in my hands. How long am I going to be here? How long are they going to continue using me as a way to get Finnick to do what they want? I should be afraid. I should be terrified knowing that I could die at any second. But I'm not. I'm not even worried. Maybe it's because I know that if I die, they'll let Finnick go. Because then, they won't have anyone to use against him anymore. Or maybe it's because I don't particularly have anything to live for anymore. I can't see my family or my friends. I can see Finnick, but only while he's oblivious to my presence and is being forced to sell himself.

I start to wonder what the Capitol is doing to my family, if they're even bothering with them. Are they here in the Capitol like me? Or are they somewhere far away, safe? I hope for the latter, but I just don't know. I shake my head and lay down on the bed. I look to my left and see the doors sliding open again. I sit up.

"It's just me," says Evre, walking toward me. She's holding a light blue dress in her hands. "Here. I thought you might want to wear this instead."

"So you're like a stylist?" I ask jokingly.

Evre laughs. "Far from it, I'm afraid," she replies, handing me the dress. I slip it on over my head, letting it fall down to my knees. I wriggle around in it, feeling the silk glide along my shoulders. "Good?"

"Good," I say. "Thanks."

"It's my pleasure." Evre also hands me another plate of food. I gulp it down, and look at the door.

"Why did you give me this?" I ask her, motioning to my dress.

"You didn't think President Snow was going to keep you locked up in here the entire time, did you?" says Evre, smiling. I smile back.

"So I'll be walking around the Capitol?" I ask.

"Well, yes," she replies, still smiling. I should be happy about this, but I'm not. Because how can I be, knowing what Finnick is going through to keep me alive?

"Oh," is all I manage to choke out.

Evre hands me a brush and I comb out my hair. She hands me makeup as well, but I shake my head at it. She laughs and takes it away, like she understands why I don't want it. I don't want to look like one of those Capitol freaks.

"Isn't Snow worried people will recognize me?" I ask. "Everyone is supposed to think I'm dead, remember?"

"He's not too worried," Evre says. "Because, let's face it, you didn't look as well as you do now in the arena."

I laugh a bit, because it's true. In the arena, I was probably dirty and bloody. But now, I look refreshed, except for my body's condition.

"Come on," says Evre, taking my hand.

She takes me down a few hallways and soon, we're climbing stairs that must lead to the actual Capitol. When we reach the top, I'm awed. The Capitol is a silver, shining city with so many different, freakish faces. They all turn to stare at me for a moment, and I'm afraid that they do recognize me. But when they turn away, I let out a sigh of relief.

Evre leads me up and down the streets, until she stops at a corner. She stares at all the people and freezes. She starts to push me away. "You don't want to see that, Aury," she says. "Come on, let's go the other way."

I push back. "No," I say. "What are they all doing?" I examine the people. I notice that they're mostly girls. "Oh, no..."

"Exactly. Come on." Evre begins to push me away from them all, when I bump into someone.

"Careful!" they hiss. I turn to look at them. And, of course, it's one of the Capitol girls. "I paid a lot of money for Finnick Odair. If you want him, you'll have to get in line."

This sets me off. "Actually," I hiss back. "Finnick and I have a longer past than you could ever imagine."

"Aury, let's not do that here," Evre whispers urgently.

I don't listen. I keep spitting at the girl. "And you know what else?" I almost scream. "I actually love him. Something you could never accomplish in your dizziest daydreams."

"Whatever," the girl says indifferently. "I'm leaving now. I paid a hell of a lot of money to get knocked up by him, and I'm not waiting around for your permission that I didn't even ask for."

I hold my hands in tight fists, trying my best to hold back my rage. I fail. As the girls turns her back on me, I leap on top of her and shove her face into the ground. All around, people stop and stare in disbelief. Then I feel sets of hands dragging me off the girl. She gasps for breath and sprints away, shouting curses back to me.

I shout back at her. I look up, and see Peacekeepers holding me, stopping me from chasing after her. I struggle, but I feel another needle-like pain, and I slump to the ground, my head giving in to dizzying blackness.


	31. Part 2: Pure Hell in Front of My Eyes

I hear voices. I can hear them. They sound angry. With what, I don't know. Maybe with me. But I can hear them, clearer now. I try to open my eyes, but they're heavy and I fail. The voices become even clearer, and I can just make out what they're saying.

"She's too much trouble! Let's just kill her now!"

"No!"

"Why not, Odair?"

"Because you can't!"

"Oh, can't we? It'd be so easy right now. With her knocked out like she is, all we'd have to do is shoot her."

"No! Please!"

"Why not? She's too much trouble for us!"

"Because I love her."

"And where did love get you? In trouble, that's where! If you hadn't fallen in love with this girl, you wouldn't be in this situation right now!"

"Even if I didn't love her, you'd still make me do this."

"It's her fault that you're here, Odair. Can't you see that?"

"Are you trying to make me regret loving her?"

"Well, do you?"

"Never."

Then I hear a sickening crack, a body hitting the floor, and the doors sliding open and closed. I feel a hand on my wrist.

"You've caused too much trouble already," a voice hisses in my ear. "I wish we could kill you right now. But how else are we going to get your precious Finnick to cooperate?"

I tear my eyes open to glare at the person who spoke. It's a man, in his twenties, with burning red eyes.

"She's awake?" says another voice. I turn my head to where the sound came from. "Good."

"What did you do to Finnick?" I demand, thrashing in the metal cuffs holding me to another bed.

The Peacekeepers laugh. "Should we show her?" asks the first.

"Definitely," says the second.

They remove the cuffs and one of them picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. I struggle, willing him to let me down. But he doesn't. So I let my body go limp, like a dead corpse, until the man throws me down onto the hard metal floor. I gasp as the breath is driven out of me, and I manage to climb to my feet using the wall beside me.

"There, girl," says the Peacekeeper with the red eyes.

I look at the wall, which has another large window right in the middle. After a second, my eyes focus in, and once again, I'm horrified at what I see. Three Peacekeepers are taking turns punching Finnick in the stomach. He's completely helpless, since his arms are cuffed behind his back.

Without thinking, I start screaming Finnick's name and kicking at the wall. My mind is in a frenzy. What can I do? This is horrible! I can't watch this. I just can't. I need to save him! All these thought go through my head at once, making my head fuzzy. Still, I keep screaming. I must look hysterical to the Peacekeepers, because they're standing by, watching me with wide eyes.

To my right, a door slides open. I bolt inside, with the Peacekeepers grabbing at my shoulders, trying to hold me back. I push them off, and run to Finnick. The Peacekeepers who were punching him give me one look and lunge at me instead. It's pure chaos in the room now. Peacekeepers trying to hold me back, me trying to get to Finnick and clawing and kicking at anyone who gets in my way, Finnick running to me while still being beaten by more Peacekeepers.

Finally, I reach him. I grip him in my arms as best I can, while the remaining Peacekeepers attempt to pry me off. One of them quickly grabs a syringe filled with death venom and jabs it into my upper left shoulder. I don't care. I rip it out and continue to cling to Finnick. I got him back. I'm not letting go for anything.

"Aury," Finnick gasps. He doesn't hug me back, but only because his hands are tied. I bet, if he could, he'd be doing the same thing. "Aury, I love you. So much."

"I love you," I say back. I put both my hands on his neck, gripping his hair between my fingers, and kiss him, until I feel my muscles start to relax.

I try to stay standing, but am unsuccessful. My legs give way, and I collapse to the floor. But I don't go unconscious. My eyes don't snap closed like they usually would. I stay conscious, through the entire hell that happens next.

Peacekeepers, apparently oblivious to my presence now, practically trample me while running towards Finnick. I can see everything. I wish I couldn't, though. I wish everything wasn't so clear.

They grab Finnick and throw him against the wall. Any orders not to damage him too badly have obviously been revoked. But after this, they're still going to sell him, aren't they? Finnick gets to his feet, surprisingly. He doesn't stay like that for long, because they're on him a second time. They do everything they can. They punch, kick, even bite. They look like animals, not Peacekeepers.

One of them actually has a small knife with him, which he of course uses on Finnick. It's horrible, really. I don't have many words to describe the pain he must have been in. I don't have any words at all to describe the pain that I feel for him. I wish I could take it all away. I wish I could be the one to suffer, instead of him. But this, the pain that is constantly stabbing at my heart right now, is probably much worse.

I try to close my eyes. I don't want to watch anymore. But I can't. My eyes remain glued open, and I can see nothing else, other than Finnick and the Peacekeepers. And then, I feel warm tears stream down my cheeks and into my hair. Finally, I'm able to close my eyes. Not that this does much, though. I can still hear the awful sounds Finnick is making, and the maniac laughter of the Peacekeepers. It goes on for what seems to be hours, and I'm surprised he hasn't died yet. But they don't want him dead. They just want to teach him a lesson. At last, after my mind is practically dead to the world and my heart is ripped to shreds, I feel unconsciousness creeping up on me. I don't resist. I'm done.


	32. Part 2: Returning Home

I wake up, not back in the small white room I had before, but inside a sort of cell. I sit up, surprised to not find any metal restraints across my waist or wrists, and scan the room. Nothing of interest, mostly, until I see Evre. She's sitting with her head bowed, and her hands clasped together, like she's praying. When she hears me stir, she looks up and smiles slightly.

"Aury," she breathes. I see her eyes. They're dark now, and they're worried. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," I spit at her. I don't mean to be so awful to Evre, but I'm not in the mood for any stupid questions.

"I expected as much," she replies, coming over to me. She sits on the bed I'm sitting on. "You took quite a beating."

"No kidding," I say, rubbing my arms and back. They ache, like I had been kicked mercilessly. Then I remember, I had been. I groan and rub my head. "How long was I asleep?"

"You mean unconscious?" Evre says. I nod. "A few days. Maybe three or four."

"That long?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yes," she says. "Do you remember what happened?"

I nod again and feel my eyes get teary. "How could I forget?" I ask quietly, fighting to keep my voice steady. "What...what did they do with him? You know, after they..."

"He went unconscious, like you," Evre tells me. "Only, he fell unconscious from pain, whereas you-"

I interrupt. "Yeah, I know." I put my head in my hands. "Death venom."

"Well, after he went unconscious, the Peacekeepers stopped," she continues. I interrupt her again.

"Look," I say harshly, lifting my head. "I don't know who the idiot was that came up with the name 'Peacekeeper', but they were dumb as shit. Because Peacekeepers are _never _peaceful." I put my head back in my hands and will Evre on.

She doesn't respond to my comment. "They stopped. Then they drug him out of the room and strapped him to another bed, and left. Then they came back for you. They put you on a hovercraft, obviously. And you've been here ever since."

"We're on a hovercraft?" I ask. "To where?" Probably somewhere even worse than below the Capitol. Probably somewhere where there are even tougher Peacekeepers.

"To District 4," says Evre. "You're going home."

I should be ecstatic. I'm going home to my family who thinks I'm dead. They'll be so happy to see me. But the emotion doesn't come. It stays hidden behind my grief and pain.

"Why?" I ask.

"You don't want to go home?" Evre gives me a concerned look.

I sigh. "What I want is to have Finnick back," I tell her quietly.

"Aury..." Evre puts her hand on my shoulder. "I know that's what you want. I know you would probably do anything to have it that way. But, for now at least, the best thing for you to do for yourself and for Finnick is to just cooperate with Snow and his Peacekeepers. Okay?"

"No," I reply. Evre stops talking, but leaves her hand on my shoulder. She stays in the room/jail cell with me until I feel the hovercraft land.

I pick my head up and see three Peacekeepers coming for me. I glare at them, ready to kill them if I have to. But they don't make any threatening movements, so I let them guide me through the door and off the hovercraft.

As soon as I get off, I see my house and my family, all waiting for me with huge grins on their faces. They wave to me, but I don't wave back. I just smile slightly. The Peacekeepers lead me to them. Before I'm close enough to touch them, one of the Peacekeepers leans down next to my ear.

"Now don't try anything funny, got it?" he hisses. "We're dropping you here because you're too much for Snow to handle. Don't try coming back. Finnick is going to go through enough suffering when we get back there. He doesn't need you to try and be the hero. That'll only lead to us killing him. Got it?"

I turn on the Peacekeeper, ready to slit his throat with my nails. He grins at me sadistically and shoves me toward my family. I feel my mother grab my shoulders lightly and try to turn me around so she can hug me. But I resist. What that Peacekeeper just said has filled me with rage. I start to scream at him, as my mother holds me back. I start to go animalistic once again, and my mother tries even harder to turn me around.

I shove her arms off me and continue to scream. I drop to my knees and grip my hair. Warm tears stream down my cheeks and onto the ground. I feel more and more hands grab at me. I don't resist as they pull me into the house. But that's as far as they dare to take me. I curl up into a tight ball. They start to rub my arms and shush me, which does nothing of course. My screams turn into sobs, and soon, I'm gagging on my tears.

I lay there, sobbing, for hours. Not once does my family leave me. I can still feel their hands on me when I start to drift into sleep.


	33. Part 2: Not Really Back

"Aury. Aury. Aury, please. Say something. Please! Aury!"

I turn my head quickly to the right and I see Heron, staring at me with his huge blue eyes. "Hey, Heron," I say quietly. I adjust my position in the wooden chair I'm sitting in. It's overlooking the calm water.

Heron embraces me so tightly that I can't breathe. But he refuses to let go. "Thank you so much for finally responding," he says.

"Finally?" I say. "I've only been here for a few hours, haven't I? Did you honestly expect me to-"

Heron cuts me off. "Aury..." he whispers. "You've been here for weeks."

"What?" I gasp. "That's impossible." It doesn't make sense. Weeks? Maybe a few days, but weeks? No, I haven't been here for that long, have I? Where did the time go?

"No," Heron says gently. "The Peacekeepers dropped you off to us. And something that one of them said to you made you go...insane. You started screaming and crying and calling Finnick Odair's name. We all took you inside the house, and you just laid on the floor for a while. After a few hours, in the middle of the night, you got up and went to your room. I could hear you crying in there, too." Heron pauses, letting me soak it all in. I realize, he's telling the truth. Because the last thing I remember is crying on the floor and falling asleep. And now, I'm sitting here with him, looking at the water.

"That morning, Lily went to your room to wake you up. You didn't look at any of us when you finally came downstairs. You just sat at the table, kind of staring at nothing. It was scary, to be honest, because we all knew you weren't really there. Every day you would walk down here and sit in the sand and watch the waves. You even drew this picture." Heron pulls out a beautiful picture of the water. I reach out and touch it. I drew this? "And this one." He pulls out another picture. This one is of Finnick. He looks as he did before we went into the arena, fit and healthy and not beaten up. I touch his stenciled face lightly.

"So...yeah. You did that for about two weeks. Came out here, I mean. And you just...stared at the water. No matter what we did, you wouldn't respond. Not even if we splashed water on you. You were like a dead person, only you weren't really dead." Heron sighs and puts his arm around me. "I'm just glad your back, little sister."

"I guess I am too," I reply quietly. "How are they?"

"Good, I suppose," he replies. "They'll be better once they see that you're back." He gets up and takes my hand and leads me inside the house.

"Aury!" Lily squeals as I walk through the door. She runs into me and hugs me around the waist. "Are you...is she..."

"Sure is," Heron answers. He puts his arm around my shoulder and hugs me to him. I don't respond beyond smiling slightly.

"Finally!" says Lily, hugging me even tighter. I hug her back, and I start to feel tears seep through my shirt. "I'm so glad."

"I know..." I say quietly.

"Heron, is she back?" asks my mother, walking into the room.

"Yes," he replies.

"Aury..." she whispers. "Are you okay?"

I hesitate. What can I say? Tell her the truth, and have her worrying again, or tell her a lie, and keep my feelings bottled up inside me. I sigh. "No," I finally say. I shake my head. I cast my eyes to floor, feeling a tear sliding down my cheek. I gentle remove Lily's arms from around my waist and ascend the stairs to my room.

I don't feel remorse. I don't feel bad that I just crushed their feelings. They'd rather hear the truth and cry, than hear a lie and be happy, anyway. I lay down on my bed and stare out the window to the water.

What can I do? Apparently, I've been here for weeks. That means Finnick has probably suffered so much with me not even knowing. Weeks is too long. I want to go back to the Capitol. I want him back. I don't want him to be forced to sell himself anymore.

I sit up and slowly turn the doorknob. I open the door and look left and right. No one is here. Good. I go downstairs to the kitchen, where my mother is humming a light tune. She notices me standing in the doorway, and smiles.

"Back again?" she says softly.

"Yes," I answer, my voice steadier than expected. "I just...I wanted you to know...I want to..." I sigh. This is harder than I thought it was going to be. "Somehow, don't ask my how, I'm going to buy Finnick back."

My mother stops and stares at me in disbelief. But it's true. I'm going to buy him back. It seems like the only way to get him back. And even though it sounds extremely selfish to say I'm going to "buy him back", I'm desperate enough that I will. She sighs and looks at her hands.

"Aury..." she whispers. "I know your intentions are good. And I know you would probably do anything to have him back. We all saw what he said during his interview, and we saw you with him on the beach. But..." She sighs again. "I don't know how you're going to be able to-"

She's cut short by the loud drone of what seems to be a hovercraft. Are they coming to take me back? Are they coming back to kill me? I run to the window and look up. Sure enough, it's a hovercraft. But this one isn't one of the luxury ones used only for transportation. This one is a war hovercraft. My mother gasps and runs to the base of the steps. She yells for everyone to get out of the house. I don't move. They're here for me, I know it. They can have me.

"Aury!" my mother screams. "Aury! You need to come! Aury!" I can barely hear her over the loud noises of the hovercraft. "Aury! Aury, come on!"

Then, there's a loud crash, the sound of an explosion, and my mother's scream mixed in with my siblings' and father's. I feel heat on my back, and I'm forced to the ground by a strong wind. I feel pieces of wood and rubble land on me. Everything goes dark, and I'm almost positive that I'm dead.


	34. Part 2: All of Them

_What just happened? _I blink my eyes open. _How am I not dead? _I manage to lift my head a little. I blink rapidly to adjust my eyes to the dim lighting. _What? _I look around, and it becomes apparent that I'm laying in a pile of burnt wood and stone. I press my arms to the ground and push myself into a sitting position. I grip my right arm and feel a piece of jagged wood branching out from my shoulder. I quickly rip it out and throw it to the ground. I'm surprised that there's nothing else wrong with me, besides a few other bruises and cuts.

I stumble to my feet and scan the full premises. Nothing. I'm not surprised, actually. I didn't expect to be let out of the Capitol so easily. I knew something was bound to happen. I just didn't expect it to be something this massive.

It's depressing to see the sad remains of what used to be my house. The house that I grew up in, along with my brothers and sister...

My brothers and sister! Immediately, I'm alert for any signs of them. I look around, frantically turning my head from left to right. I see pieces of their clothing but no sign of them. That is, until I catch a glimpse of red blood forming a trail along the wood. I follow it, and soon, I see them.

All of them. My mother, my father, my sister, my brother. All of them, laying in a pool of their own blood, skewered through the necks with wood. Their bodies are mangled and bloody, shredded by the flying rubble and stone. Their faces are barely recognizable, but still, I know who they are.

I walk slowly, numbly, towards them. I kneel next to their bodies, all forming one large huddle, probably enjoying the last embrace they would ever feel. I lay my hands on them. They're cold as ice, and their blood is still streaming from their wounds. A few tears slide down my cheeks, but that's all that comes. I try to cry more, or start sobbing. But I can't. I just sit there with them, holding onto their clothes.

My family. My poor, loving, erattic family. I think of all the memories we had together. All the tears I made them shed, all the laughs we shared, and especially all the help we had given each other to get by. We always cared for each other. We always grieved for the other. And we never let go. Not even when one of us wasn't even really there...

I hang my head back and cry out to the sky. Why? Why did this have to happen? But I already know the answer. It's because President Snow didn't like Finnick loving me, or me loving Finnick. He wanted me to suffer, because I took away his precious Finnick Odair. And since he couldn't hurt me by killing Finnick, he killed my family instead. I scream to the black sky again, and start to sob. Finally.

I lean my head on the shoulder of the dead body that is Lily's. Her soft blue eyes stare sightlessly at the stars, and she almost looks like she could be smiling. I close her eyes, and rest my head back on her shoulder. Then I move to Plover's body. It's not as damaged as Lily's, but it's still damaged enough to be dead. One of my tears lands on his face. I brush it away, and close his eyes, which were once jsut as blue as mine. Now, they're hardened and lifeless.

My parents lay together, soaked in blood, hugging each other tightly. I don't dare move them apart. They would want to stay that way, together. I close their eyes gingerly. I'm going to miss my mother's dark blue, almost sapphire, eyes, and my father's pale blue eyes. I'm going to miss them. All of them.

I start to sob again, loudly. I pick my head up and look for Heron's body, the last of my family that I haven't put to rest, and the one I'm going to miss most. But I don't see him. I don't see any trail of blood, or any glint of his bright blonde hair against the dark black ashes. I glance around quickly back and forth.

"Aury!" I hear my name called, and my heart leaps. "Aury!"

"Heron!" I screech back, choking on my sobs. "Heron! Heron, please! I'm here!"

Heron comes bounding around a corner, his hair stained with blood and his leg badly damaged. He sees me, and runs as best as he can to me. I don't make him hobble the rest of the way. I go to him and hug him tightly.

"Aury, you're alive!" he says between sobs. He hugs my head to his chest.

"So are you," I say back, kissing his forehead. I'm overjoyed that at least one of my siblings is still alive. I hug him again, not wanting to let go.

"What happened?" Heron suddenly demands. He puts his hands on my shoulders. "Who were they? Why did they try to kill us?"

I sigh and push his hands off of me. "It was President Snow," I tell him. "They tried to kill all of you because Snow wants me to suffer."

"Why?" he asks.

"Because I took Finnick Odair away from him," I say simply. Heron gives me a confused look, so I go on. "President Snow used to...sell Finnick. To the Capitol girls. He had this whole great business going, and then I came along. And Finnick fell in love with me, and became more and more reluctant to continue cooperating with Snow."

"Finnick Odair is a prostitute?" he says. He raises his eyebrows at me. "And you still fell in love with him, even when you knew about that?"

I shake my head at him. He doesn't know everything, so that's why it sounds as terrible as it does. "Finnick didn't choose to do that," I say defensively. "President Snow forced him into it. He threatened to kill the people Finnick loved if he didn't."

"Finnick didn't have anyone left that he loved enough," Heron says, finally catching on. "But then you came. And now you're the target for the Capitol." He sighs and rubs his head with his hand. "And they'll kill you if Finnick refuses?"

"Most likely," I whisper.

"Well, then, your Finnick better not refuse," says Heron. He sounds like he's joking, but he's not. "It's a miracle you made it out of this when everyone else died."

"Snow didn't want me dead," I say. "He just wanted to teach me a lesson." I sigh and take another look at the dead bodies around me. My family. They're all dead. All of them.


	35. Part 2: Willing to Cooperate

For the next few days, Heron and I take shelter near the water, a long way away from the remains of our house. We buried the rest of the family, and made a sort of memorial for them. Then we came down to a cave we had discovered when we were younger. We've been living in this for a while. Maybe about a week. It's not so bad here, I guess.

"So, I heard you talking to mother about wanting to buy Finnick back," says Heron one day.

"So?" I ask. "It's true. But we don't really have money right now." I turn my head to watch the waves lap at the shore.

Heron grins at me. "Sure, we do," he says casually.

I scoff. "Nope," I disagree. "It all got burned when we were bombed, remember?"

He extends his hand to me. "Come on, little sister," he says.

I take his hand and Heron leads me through the streets of District 4, all the way to the house that belongs to Mags Shearwater. Heron knocks on the door and she opens it. She gives him a light nod, then sees me. Her eyes widen and her lips open in a silent scream. I smile politely at her, and she looks as if she's about to faint.

"Hi, Mags," I say cheerily, almost teasing her.

"You're dead!" Mags says. "You're dead! How are you here?" She puts her hand to her head and calms down. "Is this a dream?" She looks around.

"No, Mags," I tell her. I understand now what Heron is planning. "I'm really here. Can we come in?"

"Um...sure," says Mags, letting us in. We sit on the couch she has in the middle of the sitting room. "So...you're really here?"

"Yes," I say. "I'm here. I never died." I lower my voice, for fear that we're being surveyed right now. "President Snow made a fake video of my death so that he could..." I trail off.

"Could what, dear?" she says. I go on. I tell her all about Finnick and I being captured by Snow, and me witnessing him being sold, and everything else that has happened, all the way up to my family being killed. Mags only nods through the whole thing. "The Capitol has Finnick? Right now?"

"Unfortunately," I say. "I want to buy him back."

"You want to what?" asks Mags.

"I want to buy Finnick back," I say again straightforwardly. "Since I can't seem to get past President Snow any other way, I want to do it his way and buy Finnick back to me."

"Oh, Aury..." Mags begins.

"Mags, I love him," I tell her. "I love him enough to be willing to cooperate with Snow and pay money for him." I put my head in my hands. "I just...I just want him back."

"I know," she says. "I know. You'll do anything for him. You would, as much as you don't want to, buy him. But what would you do then? You can't keep him forever there."

She's right. Even if I do buy him back, it'll only be for a short amount of time. But I don't care. I shrug. "I'll make something up when I get there."

"I'll give you the money, don't worry," Mags tells me.

I glance at Heron. He grins at me, because he was right about coming to Mags's house. "Are you sure?" I ask innocently. "It might be kind of expensive."

"You let me worry about that," says Mags. "I have more money than I know what to do with. And, let's face it. I'd like to have Finnick back as well. A forced prostitute. That's no way to live." Mags leaves the room, and returns holding a small piece of paper. She hands it to me. "Here you go. There's all the money you'll need."

"Mags," I breathe, taking the paper. "Thank you so much. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

She laughs a little. "Just be sure to name your children after me," she says.

I feel my jaw drop. I laugh awkwardly along with Mags, and Heron starts pushing me out the door, saying his thanks to her. When we're outside, he looks at me.

"Children?" he says.

"I guess so," I shrug. "And apparently, they're all going to be named Mags." I laugh and start walking back to our cave. "You know, she probably still thought she was dreaming, even though I told her she wasn't."

Heron laughs. "So, how are you planning on getting to the Capitol?" he asks.

I sigh. "I'll get there," I reply. "Somehow." And when I say "somehow", I mean, President Snow probably is expecting me and will send a hovercraft.


	36. Part 2: Trust Me

It turns out that I was right about Snow sending a hovercraft. Less than three hours later, one shows up right in front of the cave. Heron is asleep at the time, since it's about eleven at night. I don't bother waking him, though I'm surprised the drone of the hovercraft hasn't woken him already. I kiss his forehead and board the hovercraft. President Snow is waiting for me. Unfortunately.

"Ah, Auramarina," he says lightly. "So nice to have you back." I glare at him and don't respond. He cracks his neck, and his tone turns to ice. "I thought one of my Peacekeepers ordered you not to come back."

"He did," I say back. I hold up the paper with the money. "But I have something for you." I hand him it. "Can you guess what that's for?"

"I think I can," he says, examining the paper. "This is a great deal of money." I shrug, as if saying, _So what if it is? _"This must be to buy your Finnick." He puts the paper in his pocket and sits down in an ornate chair. "So, you were so desperate, you were willing to finally...cooperate with us?"

I nod and glare at Snow. He killed my family. I hate him. "Finnick is one of the only things I have left," I hiss. "I'll do anything to have him back."

"I see," says Snow. "You know," he continues, pulling the money back out of his pocket. "I don't know if I'm willing to accept this."

"And why not?" I demand.

"You've caused quite a bit of trouble for me," he says. "I'm not sure if you deserve to see your Finnick."

I raise my eyebrows at him. "So, you'd pass up all that money, just because I might not 'deserve' to see him?" I say in a mocking tone.

Snow glares at me, then huffs, "Well, I couldn't do that, could I? But just remember," He comes closer to me. "Don't try anything funny. Or you and your Finnick could lead very unpleasant lives for a while longer."

"Oh, I don't plan on it," I growl. "Trust me."


	37. Part 2: What's Your Name?

We arrive at the Capitol in about an hour. President Snow and his band of Peacekeepers lead me inside. They push other girls waiting for Finnick aside, saying things about how I paid more than any of them could ever afford. When we're finally inside, they take me down a few long hallways, until I see a pure white door decorated with diamonds.

The Peacekeepers push the door open and take me inside. There's a bed, obviously, and there's Finnick, shirtless, and just laying there, like he's indifferent to anyone else coming in. He turns his head to the Peacekeepers, and I notice he's blindfolded. I also notice just how beaten up he is.

"Why is he blindfolded?" I ask one of the Peacekeepers.

"Because he said he didn't want to see anyone elses face unless it was yours," he replies. "I don't blame him. I would get tired of seeing hundreds of girls everyday too."

They leave, and I walk to the bed, slowly. Finnick sighs and puts his hands behind his head. He winces in pain, because his head is probably bruised and damaged, like the rest of him.

"Hey there," he says, using the seductive purr he has.

I can't help but laugh a bit. I sit down on the bed next to him. He tenses his muscles, then relaxes and runs his hand down my arm. I put my hand on his bare chest, and he shudders, just as he did in the Training Center all those months ago.

"So, what's your-" I cut him off by putting my fingers to his lips. I lean over and kiss him lightly. He lets out a sort of moan, which gets me laughing again. _What an oblivious flirt, _I think.

I seduce him into getting to his feet and he backs me up against a wall. I can't help admiring him, because he's doing this all blindfolded. My back practically slams against the wall. I run my hands along his chest.

"So, tell me," he breathes. "What _is _your name?" He runs my hair through his fingers, and I think I see a bit of realization cross his face.

I bite my lip. I reach up to the blindfold across his eyes. He doesn't stop me from pulling it up. Once I see his charming sea-green eyes lock on mine, I whisper, "Auramarina."

Finnick's eyes widen like did Mags's. For a short second, he stares at me in disbelief. All I can do is smile at him and stare back.

"Aury," he says. He wraps his arms around me and hugs me so closely to him. I hug him back, breathing in his scent and relishing the familiarity of his embrace. I don't let go, and neither does he. He keeps pressing me to him, so close that I can feel his heartbeat on my chest.

I can't describe my happiness. It's the most wonderful feeling a person could ever feel. Being somewhat freely reunited with Finnick, feeling him next to me, it's amazing.

Finnick backs up, back to his bed, and lays down. He loosens his grip on me, and I kiss him like I never have before. Because I love him. I grip his hair between my fingers, and continue kissing him, feeling him slide his hands up and down my back.

"Finnick, I love you," I say, leaning my forehead on his. I kiss him again.

He puts his hand to my cheek. "How are you alive?" he asks, kissing me again.

"What do you mean?" I say back, pushing my hair out of my face.

He sits up and pulls me onto his lap, still gripping my back. I run my fingers through his hair and around his neck. "I saw you when your family was killed," he tells me. "I didn't know if you made it or not. I didn't expect you to."

"President Snow didn't plan on me dying," I say quietly. "Just my family."

"Do you miss them?" Finnick asks.

"Yes," I answer. _Obviously. _

He stays silent for a moment, gently rubbing my back and still hugging me to him. I lean my forehead against his, and he kisses me again. "How did you get here?"

"I think you know how," I reply.

"You paid?" he asks in disbelief. "You actually did what Snow wanted?" I nod numbly.

"For you," I say. I push Finnick back down on the bed and kiss him. I feel him wince when I touch his chest. "What happened to you?"

"I haven't been exactly cooperating with the Peacekeepers or President Snow lately," he tells me. I move off of him and lay beside him, my head on his chest.

"I figured that," I say. I grip his hair between my fingers and kiss him again.

Finnick pulls me back on top of him and goes on kissing me. "So, now that you're here," he says, pushing my hair away from my face. "what do you want to do?" He winks at me.

"Get you out of here," I reply, not giving him the answer he wants. I kiss him once, and get to my feet. I examine the room for anything that we could escape through. There's a window stretching down to the floor, but there's nothing to break through it with. I put my hands on my hips and tip my head slightly.

I walk over to the window until my nose touches the glass. I look down. The Capitol people walk below my feet, scampering about like tiny ants. Tiny, colorful ants. I press my hands against the glass, willing it to move aside and let me escape. But it doesn't move. I groan and stalk away from the window.

"There's nothing, Aury," says Finnick. "I tried."

"And that only led to getting beat up," I say back, running my fingers gingerly along one of the bruises on his shoulder.

"Exactly," he says, taking my hand and holding it ot his chest.


	38. Part 2: Marry Me

Finnick and I sit together on the bed for a while, enjoying each others company while we have it. We don't talk, we just sit. Finally, after a long period of silence, I talk.

"How many Capitol girls do you see everyday?" I ask.

Finnick hesitates, obviously caught off guard by the question. "About five or six," he says.

"And how do they compare?" I ask, grinning jokingly.

He laughs. "They don't," he replies. He leans over and kisses me. "They never stood a chance." He winks at me.

I wrap both my arms around his neck and kiss him. I lean back onto the bed and he moves on top of me. I grip his hair in my fingers and quicken the pace of our kissing. I pull my shirt over my head, but I'm still wearing a light camisole. Bad night to wear more than one layer.

Finnick grips my back tightly and presses my chest to his. He holds my leg to his hip and continues kissing me. But when I start to take off my camisole, he stops me.

"Aury..." he says.

"This is what you wanted, right?" I say. He's the one who asked me first what I wanted to do, anyway.

"I do," he answers. He kisses me lightly. Then he sighs. "But I'd prefer to be married to you first."

My heart skips a beat and catches in my throat. What? What did he just say? For a moment, I stare at him, unable to comprehend his words. "What?" I whisper.

Finnick gets up from the bed and pulls me with him. He hugs me tightly to him and kisses my cheek. I lay my hands lightly on his neck.

"Aury," he whispers. "I love you. More than you can ever imagine. And I want to spend my entire life with you." I stop breathing and grip his neck tighter. "If we ever get out of this..." Finnick locks his charming, endearing gaze on mine. "Marry me?"

I feel a small smile cross my lips. I stare back at him, unable to speak. Finally, I manage to gasp enough air to whisper back, "Yes."

Finnick smiles back at me and kisses me. Except, this kiss is different, because we aren't just in love anymore. We're engaged. We stand together kissing for a while, my heart soaring the entire time. I should have known that a moment like this can't last forever, especially when your enemies are so near.


	39. Part 2: End: Saved

Strong hands pull Finnick out of my arms and slam me against the wall. They grip my neck as I claw away at them. I hear Finnick shouting, more voices drowning him out, and during the entire time, I think I can hear President Snow's laughter.

I start to scream, but am cut off by the hands gripping my throat tighter. I kick at the person in front of me and manage to nail them in the shin. The hands loosen, but only for a second. Then President Snow decides to intervene.

"You're such an unbelievable-" I spit at him, about to shoot him the natiest word I can think of. The hands on my neck silence me.

Snow smiles at me and walks over. He strokes my hair, which repulses me. I jerk my head away as best I can, and he only laughs. Then his expression hardens.

"I hadn't wanted to keep you here with us," he tells me. "But given the circumstances, I think we'll be willing to take care of you for a while longer."

"What circumstances might those be?" I hiss.

"We've just seen the full extent of your relationship with Finnick," says Snow, nodding towards Finnick. "You're engaged now, after all. And I'd bet anything that your dear lover would do even more to keep you alive."

"What hasn't he done to keep me alive?" I demand. I get tired of having hands at my neck, so I shove them off me without hesitation.

Snow laughs. "A very good point," he says. "Still...there's always room for improvement."

I scoff. "What improvement?" I demand again. "He's done everything you asked him to."

"Yes, he has," Snow agrees. "But he's been a bit...reluctant."

"I know," I snap at him. I cross my arms. "And how do you plan to fix that?"

Snow grins at me, then nods to his demon Peacekeepers holding Finnick against the wall across from me. One of them punches him hard in the jaw, and I see a trickle of blood come from his mouth.

"Does that upset you?" Snow asks.

I raise my eyebrows at him, saying, "_Are you kidding me? That's the most idiotic question I've ever heard." _He seems to understand this, and nods.

"You see, if we do that sort of thing to you, Finnick will also become upset, and therefore want to do something to save you," he explains. I scoff. Like I didn't already know that. "And, in this case, that something will be to become less reluctant and halfhearted with his Capitol girls."

I don't respond. I only stare at him. I'm tired of being used as a weapon against Finnick. It's killing us both.

After a few thoughtful tips of the head, Snow turns back to me. "I'll make you a deal," he says. "You stay here with us, and your Finnick can be free. For a while, at least."

"Done," I say quickly.

"Not done," I hear Finnick say as soon as I speak. He pushes the Peacekeepers harshly off him and comes to me, pushing me behind him and away from Snow. It's a nice gesture, but I really hate feeling like I need protecting. "You can't do that to her."

"Oh, actually, I can," says Snow back. "Finnick, wouldn't you like your freedom back?"

"I would," says Finnick. "But not if it means giving you Aury. And it wouldn't matter anyway. I wouldn't be free forever. You said yourself it would only be for a while." He grips me protectively in his arms, and I squirm away from him. I still grip his hand, though.

"If this is all I can do for you now, then I'll do it," I tell Finnick. He looks at me with those endearing sea-green eyes. He shakes his head, and is about to speak, when Snow interrupts him.

"Good," he says. "Say goodbye."

I turn to Finnick. He doesn't say anything, but pulls me to him, hugs me tightly to him, and kisses me. Both my hands lay on his chest, and I'm standing on tip-toe. After a minute, Peacekeepers pull us apart. I kiss him one last time, and follow them.

I want to tell Finnick that I'm sorry, but I have to do this. Becuase I love him, and he's gone through so much for me. I have to return the favor. Because I love him. I have to go through another month, maybe even a year, in the Capitol with President Snow. And I'll do it willingly. Becuause I love him.


	40. Part 3: Prologue: Maybe Even Months

_It's been weeks, maybe a few months, that I've been here. They don't treat me like a guest anymore. They treat me like a prisoner, and keep me in the lower levels of the Capitol. I'm seventeen now. I'm not allowed to see anyone, expect Evre, who is assigned to take care of me again. I'm glad. I'm glad I have someone to talk to. If I didn't have her, I'm pretty sure I'd be going insane right now. _


	41. Part 3: He's Far From Safe

As I stare at myself in the mirror running the length of the wall, I can't help but wonder what it would have been like if I hadn't done what President Snow asked. What would have happened if I refused to stay in the Capitol? He probably would have taken me anyway, and kept selling Finnick to the Capitol girls.

I wonder what Finnick is doing now. I wonder if he's missing me, or if he's preoccuppied with something else, or if he even notices I'm gone. We're engaged, yes, but that can't stop him from not missing me. I shake my head and sit down on the bed in my room, which is pure white, like the room I was in the first time I was here.

I hear the door behind me open, and I see Evre's reflection staring at me with friendly eyes. She smiles at me and walks over. "How are you doing?" she asks.

"Fine," I say. "Just fine."

"That's nice," she replies softly. "You're missing him again, aren't you?"

I nod. "But it's okay," I reassure her. "I'm here for Finnick's sake. It's okay."

Evre sighs deeply, then locks her gaze on mine. "Did I ever tell you about my lover?" she asks. I shake my head. "Do you want to hear?" I nod.

She situates herself on the bed and sighs agains. "Well, his name was Eragon. We fell in love when we were about your age and Finnick's age. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes that sparkled in any light.

"Once, when we were together, we talked of leaving the Capitol. More than once we had these discussions, and each time we did, they seemed more appealing. Then, things took a turn for the worst. Eragon and I were arrested. Apparently, one of the Capitol officials had heard us talking of leaving, and reported us.

"Both Eragon and I were originally sentenced to be executed. But...Eragon fought for my life. My life. He fought harder than I fought for his...and in the end, it cost me. Only he was executed in the end, and I was left alone.

"Eragon died because he thought that if he died, I would be spared. Well, he was correct, but not completely. I was put here, sentenced to care for the injured or betrayers of the Capitol. I was left alive, but I wasn't freed. And the worst part is that I never even got to thank Eragon for fighting so hard for me, even when I didn't."

Silence. I can't speak. I don't know what to say. I never knew Evre had such a sad past.

"So, that's why I'm always telling you how proud I am that you gave yourself for Finnick," Evre says softly. "Because, if you hadn't, who knows what might have happened?"

"I'm sorry for your loss, Evre," I tell her.

"It's alright, Aury," she says. "That was many years ago. Though, not a day goes by that I don't miss my Eragon."

I lean over and hug her. I pity her. At least I know where Finnick is. At least I know that he's alive. Evre didn't either, and Eragon died anyway. Suddenly, Evre's tone turns from soft to urgent.

"Aury, I know what you're thinking," she whispers in my ear. "You're thinking that at least you know where Finnick is. Do you think that he's safe, back in District 4?"

"Well, I thought-" I begin. Evre cuts me off.

"Because he's not," she says quietly, but quickly. "He's not safe. He's far from it. And he's far from being free of Snow."

Of course he is.


	42. Part 3: Fifty Slips of Paper

_Why am I not surprised? _I was foolish to think that Snow would really let Finnick go so easily. Because, if he did, what would be the point of keeping me here? I sigh and close my eyes.

"I'm not surprised," I say.

"I'm sorry," says Evre, putting her hand on my shoulder.

"It's fine, I guess," I tell her. "Where do you think he is?"

She hesitates. "Aury, I'm going to tell you some things, and, no matter what Snow might do to make you tell them, don't. He can never know what is going on."

"Well, what _is _going on?" I ask.

Evre sighs. She puts her hands on her knees. "President Snow is a monster," she begins. _Obviously, _I think. "And he needs to be stopped. I'm close with a few of his Peacekeepers, and they agree with me that he needs to stop all this cruelty. For a while now, we've been working on a mission to escape the Capitol and start an uprising. Only, we haven't figured out how to like the spark for it."

"Okay," I say. "I don't understand what this has to do with me."

"You're the example," Evre tells me. "You'll be the living proof we need of Snow's brutality towards the districts. The Peacekeepers and I are going to free you. We're going to get you out of here, hopefully, for good."

That sounds great. I would love to be out of the Capitol. I'm done with staying here. But still, only one question remains in my head. "Do you know what they did with Finnick?" I ask.

Evre shakes her head. "No," she says. "I expect they aren't selling him anymore, though."

There's one good thing that came out of this. "So, how are you and your Peacekeepers planning on getting me out?"

"Simple," she says. "We fight our way out."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I ask her. "What if President Snow is in the middle of everything?"

Evre's blue eyes turn to ice. "President Snow killed my love," she says. "He deserves what's coming to him."

"Okay," I say. "What should I do for-"

I'm cut off by the sound of the door sliding open behind us. I turn my head and see four Peacekeepers, followed by President Snow, enter the room. Snow is wearing his sadistic grin.

"It's time for you to leave, Evre," he says icily. "Auramarina, won't you come with us?"

"No," I hiss. But it doesn't matter, because I'm already being dragged out of the room along with Evre.

The Peacekeepers take her down a different hallway than the one I'm taken down. We enter a room, and I'm sat down in a wooden chair, with Snow right in front of me. He glares at me for a moment, and I refuse to look away.

"How have you been?" he says, folding his hands.

"Great," I say sarcastically.

"Good," he replies. He stands up. "How have you and Evre been getting on?"

"Fine," I say honestly.

Snow's tone turns from friendly to angry. "What has she been telling you?"

I remember what Evre told me. _No matter what Snow might do to make you tell them, don't. _I shake my head. "Nothing much," I say.

"You're lying," whispers Snow. "What has she been telling you?"

"Nothing," I say again, shaking my head.

One of the Peacekeepers unexpectedely punches me in the neck, making me choke on my breath. I grip my throat and continue to cough.

"Fine," I hiss after catching my breath. "Evre was just telling me about how you murdered her lover."

"Oh, yes," says Snow indifferently. "He was quite the fighter. Much like yourself." Then he grins. "And where did fighting me get him? Nowhere. I killed him. I always get my way."

"I have a feeling one day that'll change," I growl. This only leads to being slapped across the face by another Peacekeeper.

"Perhaps," he says. "But, for now, you're powerless against me."

"For now."

Snow stares at me. "And what could you mean by that?" he asks.

I clamp my mouth shut. I shouldn't have said that. Now he knows that I know something is happening. "Nothing," I reply quickly.

"You know something," Snow accuses me.

"I don't," I say back.

"Hmm," he huffs. "You do know what time of the year it is, don't you?"

I nod. "The Hunger Games." It's the time when people start to dread the reapings. "So?"

Snow holds up a slip of paper with the name Heron Marx written on it in perfect print. "Since you refuse to answer my questions, there will be fifty of these in District 4's reaping bowl this year."

"You're sick," I say.

Snow only shrugs, and nods to his Peacekeepers. They take me down many flights of stairs, and it becomes apparent that I won't be spending any more time in the white room I was in.


	43. Part 3: Once Again, They Begin

We reach the lowest level of the Capitol, and I'm thrown into a small gray room. The Peacekeepers slam the hard metal door behind them and leave me pounding on it with my fists, screaming all sorts of insults at them.

I sink down to the floor and put my head in my hands. Heron is going to be reaped, I know it. Snow said there would only be fifty, but he'll make sure that Heron's name is picked. Heron is going into the arena. Because Snow is set on hurting me more. As if killing my family and taking Finnick away from me wasn't enough.

I let out a long sigh and stand up. I turn around to look around the room, and see a slight, pale, brunette girl sitting in the corner. She's small and skinny, like me, and has short brown hair and gray eyes. She looks at me, and I see my own confusion and pain reflected in them. She quickly looks away and pulls her knees to her chest. I walk over to her.

"Hi," I say, trying to sound as amiable as possible. "I'm Aury." I hold out my hand. After a moment's hesitation, the girl takes it. "It seems like we'll be here for a while, huh?"

The girl shrugs. "I've been here for around nine months now," she says. "You get used to it." She shakes her head and stands. She's exactly the same height as me, which isn't very tall. "I'm Layna."

"How old are you?" I ask, purely out of curiosity.

"Seventeen," she replies.

"Oh," I say. "Me too."

"It's a nice age to be," says Layna, taking a seat on one of the beds in the room. There's a minute of awkward silence, and then she says, "You're Aury?"

"Yes," I say.

"Auramarina Marx?" she asks.

"You know me?" I ask her, sitting on the bed across from her.

"Of course," says Layna. "You're Finnick Odair's district mate."

I cast my eyes to the floor at the mention of Finnick's name. I shrug dismissively. "I know," I say dumbly.

"And he's in love with you," she adds. "You're lucky."

"I guess I am," I reply quietly.

"You probably get told that a lot," Layna guesses. "Hmm, I thought you were dead."

"President Snow wanted everyone to think that," I say.

"I didn't think you were," she tells me. "The story of your death in te arena just didn't seem...realistic to me."

"You're smart," I tell her.

"Smart enough," she shrugs. "Now, I don't mean to be forward, but what is Finnick like? I mean, I know what he's like, but really, what's on the inside?" She situates herself on her bed.

I sigh. I don't exactly want to talk about Finnick, but maybe talking about him will make me feel better. "Finnick is...extremely good-hearted and he's really selfless, too. He's caring and considerate, and he's diligent and stubborn when he needs to be." I laugh lightly to myself. I've never had to describe Finnick to anyone. "His biggest asset," I add. "is that he can seduce any girl into coming to his side."

Layna laughs. "You've been seduced?" she asks jokingly.

"More than I'd like," I reply. We stay silent for another moment, then I ask, "So, why are you here?"

"You know Evre, right?" she says. I nod. "I was one of her companions. I was her second in command, I guess. The Capitol caught on to what I was doing when I was sneaking around at night, and they put me here." She shakes her head and puts her face in her hands. "I don't know how long they're planning on keeping me here."

"Not much longer," I say, trying to sound reassuring and confident. "Evre has things all worked out. She's going to get us out, both of us."

Layna sighs. She picks up her head. "What about Finnick?" she asks.

I shake my head. "I don't know where he is," I tell her, harsher than intended. "I don't know what they're doing to him, or if he might be even be dead, or if they're planning on killing him in front of me, or..." I trail off. My breathing is coming in shallow gasps, and my heart is pounding against my chest. I grip my hair in my fingers and put my head between my knees.

I feel Layna sit down beside me and put her hand on my shoulder. "You really love him, don't you?" she says.

"So much," I answer truthfully.

"That's nice. You're lucky that he loves you too," she tells me. I know I am. "He had quite a fan club in the arena, didn't he?"

"He did," I agree reluctantly.

"District 1, 2, 3, you, the girl from 5, Fae from 9..." She continues on about how many girls in the Games loved him. I only nod numbly. "And especially that girl from 7." This catches my attention. She's talking about Glade. "You sure took care of her though." She gives me a light shove. I smile.

"I guess," I shrug.

Suddenly, the small television in the room with us flicks on. I see President Snow standing on a podium, addressing the districts, and saying that it's time, once again, for the Hunger Games to take place.


	44. Part 3: On Our Own

My breath catches in my throat. Because I know what's coming.

The districts are filmed during their reapings. First, District 1. A girl named Sapphire and a boy named Parlor. Next, District 2. A girl named Fiona and a boy named Alec. District 3 reaps a girl named Atlanta and a boy named Jared.

Then, there's District 4. I watch as Bella Blume welcomes everyone, then sinks her hand into the girls' reaping ball. She calls the name Leah Haley, then dips her hand into the boys' reaping ball. I hold my breath as she reads the name.

"Heron Marx," is the name that is called. Figures.

I let out a soft sob. Layna looks at me. "Is that your brother?" she asks.

"Yes," I reply.

Heron ascends the stairs, a shocked expression resting on his face. I'm about to scream my head off at the screen, when a larger guy, maybe about eighteen, same as Heron now, steps up to volunteer.

Bella asks what his name is. "Matt Ataney," is his answer. I recognize him immediately as a boy who is in my year at school.

Matt is a tall, muscular boy with short blonde hair and brown eyes. He was in my year at school and was always helpful to me. It's too bad he volunteered. Still, better him than Heron.

I feel a small grin cross my lips. I bet Snow wasn't expecting that. He probably thought that he would have his way, and Heron would have had to be in the Games. But then, Matt Ataney saved him. He probably was not expecting that.

The reapings go on, and soon, they're over. Layna and I sit back down. She has her head in her hands. Being in here for nine months must be taking its toll. She shakes her head and lays down on her bed. I'm sure she's sleeping when I hear her breathing slow.

I lay down in my own bed and am just about to fall asleep, when I hear the door slide open. My eyes flick open, and I sit up quickly, which makes me lightheaded. I see three Peacekeepers shoving someone into the room. A boy, maybe about twenty. He's tall, but slim, like me. He has long, straight black hair and light brown eyes. The Peacekeepers give him one last shove, and the door slides closed behind them.

The boy slumps to the floor and catches his breath. When he stands again, I'm already walking over to him. I cross my arms. "Another one?" I say.

He looks up at me, and I notice his eyes are actually a dark golden color. He stands up straight, and I also realize he has a good five inches over me. "I guess so," he replies in a deep voice. He brushes his clothes off and leans up against the wall. "So what are you in for?"

"Oh, nothing much," I say casually. "Just outsmarting Snow, disobeying Snow, being too much for Snow to handle." Then I shrug. "And being in love with his personal prostitute."

This catches the boy's attention. He looks at me. "A prostitute?" he asks in disbelief. "Who?"

I shrug again. "Finnick Odair." Layna sits up at the mention of his name. She looks at the boy, whose name I still haven't learned, and smiles.

The boy's eyes widen. His jaw drops. "Finnick Odair?" he gasps. "You're in love with him?" I nod. "Well, you wouldn't be the first. He has thousands of-"

Layna cuts him off. "Oh, it's different with her," she tells him. "Finnick loves her too. He said so in his interview."

"His interview?" asks the boy, flicking his gaze back and forth from me to Layna. Then his eyes widen again. "So, you're-"

I interrupt by shoving my hand towards him. "Aury Marx," I say. "District 4."

The boy doesn't take my hand. He eyes me suspiciously. "I thought Auramarina Marx was dead," he says.

"Obviously she's not," Layna snorts. "The scene of her dying was fake. It was made personally by President Snow."

The boy relaxes and takes my hand. "Demetri," he tells me. "Demetri Todd."

"I'm Layna," says Layna, getting up and walking towards him. "Layna Rosswood." She shakes his hand and sits back down.

"So, what are _you _in for?" I ask Demetri.

Demetri sighs. "Do you know Evre?" he asks. I nod. "I was one of her companions."

"Just like Layna," I say, motioning to her. "Did you know each other before this?"

"Not really," he replies. "We passed by each other a few times, but never really talked."

"Good time to talk now," says Layna. "There's nothing else to do." She pats her bed, inviting Demetri to sit. He does, and then she starts talking to him about a lot of stuff that I don't care about. So I let my mind drift.

I start wondering what we're going to do. How long will it be before Evre and her team of Peacekeepers comes to get us out of here? Will she be caught? Will she be exiled, or worse, executed? Then, another thought comes to mind. Evre didn't say anything about how we're going to save Finnick too.

"...and, after that, they jumped off the cliff and into the water, and the mutts didn't follow them. The girl Bree didn't make it, though." Layna is telling the story of how we escaped those cat-monkey mutts in the arena. The mutts that were set on killing me, and me only.

I don't understand why she's telling Demetri all of this. It's mandatory for everyone to watch the Games, so he probably already knows this. But he just lets her go on, nodding in between sentences. It's extremely polite of him, actually.

Suddenly, I hear a knocking on the door. I whip my head to see who it is, and why they aren't just coming in. To my surprise, I see Evre's pale blue eyes staring at me. She knocks on the door again, and then she disappears. _What the hell? _I think. I go over to the door, with Layna going on about how Tex tried to kill me, and look through the glass. I don't see Evre anymore, but I do see a piece of paper sliding under the door. I kneel down and pick it up. I slump back down on my bed and read the paper.

_ Aury, _

_Change of plans. We can't get you all out of there. Not when there's three of you. _

_We could have easily managed with two, but three is too risky. _

_So you have an option: One of you can stay behind, or all three of you can find a way to escape on your own. _

_You have five days to decide, and carry out whichever option you choose. _

_Me and my Peacekeepers will be waiting for you, just outside Snow's office, at eleven on the fifth night. _

_ Good luck, _

_ Evre_

I feel my jaw drop slightly. And, after a moment, I understand what Evre is saying. Not all of us can make it out. Not with her help, anyway. So, now, we're in a tight situation. I shake my head. No way am I making either of these two stay behind and be caught by Snow. No, we're all going to make it out of here. And we're going to have to do it ourselves.


	45. Part 3: I Know

"...she started going all insane, because of those mutts. Then, Finnick grabbed hold of her and calmed her down, and then, that girl from..." I can't believe Layna hasn't run out of breath yet. I shake my head.

"Layna," I say. She turns to me. I toss her the piece of paper. She opens it and reads it. Then her eyes widen.

"What?" she says. "How are we going to do that?"

"Do what?" asks Demetri, taking the paper from Layna's hands. He reads it, and his jaw drops. "Perfect. Just perfect."

"How are we going to do that?" Layna asks again. "We don't even know the setup around here."

I think for a moment. How _are _we going to get out? I ponder on this thought for a while longer, pressing my fingers into my temples. I run my fingers around my neck, and feel a chain resting on my chest. I pick it up, and I realize that it's the chain I wore in the arena with disc labeled "4". I feel around the edges. Perfect. At last, I think I have a solution.

I walk over to the door and tap on the glass. Just as I thought. The glass is thin. Thin, but still thick enough to keep us in. I run my disc along the glass, and just as I had hoped, it starts to make a barely visible line through it. I smile and turn to Demetri and Layna.

"We can make it through this glass," I tell them simply.

"How?" says Demetri. "That glass was meant to hold us in."

"I have this," I say, holding up my disc. "I wore this in the arena."

"Does it work on the glass?" asks Layna.

I show her. I make another cut through the glass. She grins and looks at Demetri, then back at me. "Okay," she says. "So, when are we going to do it."

I think for a moment. "Evre said she'll be outside Snow's office on the fifth night," I say. "We'll have to do it then. Maybe around ten, when it's dark."

Layna nods and looks to Demetri. He nods along, and I smile. We just might make it out of here. Layna and Demetri are strong. They were Evre's companions, after all. Yes, we'll make it out.

Nothing unusual happens for the next two days. Peacekeepers come into our room from time to time to give us small portions of food. I'm getting skinnier by the hour, and even Demetri, who's an incredibly muscular guy, is starting to thin out. It's good thing we don't have to wair a long time to escape. If we did, we probably wouldn't have the strength to.

On the third day, however, something unusual does happen. Two Peacekeepers enter the room, and tell me to come with them. I do, and they take me down a few long, narrow hallways, to a black door. They push it open and shove me inside, where a bright spotlight immediately shines on my face.

"Ah," I hear a voice say. It's President Snow, of course. "Auramarina."

"President Snow," I say back. "How are you?" I decide to be disturbingly nice to him. Maybe it'll scare him enough to convince him to let me out of here.

Snow grins at me. "I've been fine. And yourself?" he says icily.

"Fine, same as you." I want so badly to just slit his throat right now. "Any particular reason you called me down here?"

"I just thought I should tell you something," he says. I nod, urging him to go on. "I would like to reassure you that your Finnick is safe in District 4. And he has been for three months." So that's how long I've been here.

I know he's lying. And the thought of him lying to me about Finnick's safety vexes me. I narrow my eyes at him dangerously. "Liar," I hiss.

"A liar, you say?" says Snow, running his fingers along the arms of the chair he's in. "And how do you know if I'm lying or not?"

I swallow hard. Evre. That's how I know. But I can't tell him that, or Evre would be executed. So instead, I just shrug. "I've come to find that you're not a very trustworthy person."

Snow grins at me. "You're a smart girl," he tells me. "But, I assure you, your Finnick is perfectly safe."

I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at him again. "Oh, yeah?" I growl. "Then show me."

Snow eyes burn into mine. "Excuse me?" he says.

I shrug. "If Finnick really is safe, you won't have a problem showing me his current state." I stare back at Snow, letting my gaze burn into his. "So do it."

For a moment, I think I see what could be uncertainty and hesitation in his face. But he quickly wipes it away. "Very well," he says. He stands up slowly and encircles me. I feel the reek of his breath sting at my face. "You want to see Finnick? Fine."

He grabs my arm with a force that I didn't know he had. He drags me around what I think is the entire Capitol. And when he stops, we're standing just outside of a large white door, with "Odair" written across the top.

"Go ahead," Snow hisses. "Open it."

I do. I push the door open. And I see nothing. The room is completely dark. I turn around and glare at Snow. What kind of sick joke is this? He stares back, and flips a light switch on. Now, I see what he intended for me to see.

Well, there's Finnick. And a few Peacekeepers. And then, I see that Finnick is with another girl. Kissing her, running her hair through his fingers, sliding his hands up and down her back.

I feel tears well up in my eyes. And I can't help wondering why they bother coming. I know he doesn't mean any of those things he does or says to that girl. I know what circumstances he's under. But still they come. And I can't stop them from streaming down my cheeks.

President Snow clears his throat, letting Finnick and the Capitol girl know he and I are here. Finnick turns his head quickly. His eyes lock on mine, and they widen. The Capitol girl also looks at me. She shakes her head indifferently, and kisses Finnick again. But he pushes her away and rolls off the bed. He gets to his feet and starts toward me. I take a step back. I don't know what's wrong with me, but after seeing him all over that Capitol girl, I don't want him to touch me.

Peacekeepers grab Finnick and haul him back to the bed. He stares at me with his charming sea-green eyes. I blink at him, tears still dripping from my eyes. I shake my head and mouth, "I know". I know what kind of circumstances he's in. I know why he has to do that. It still hurts, though.

I feel President Snow's hand on my shoulder as he leads me out of the room. As soon as the door closes behind me, I lean up against the wall, bury my face in my hands, and slide my back down the wall. Snow kneels down in front of me.

"I know," he says. "It hurts."

I pick my head up and glare at him. "You bastard," I hiss softly.

He just grins at me. "Don't be so unkind," he tells me. "These might be the last friendly words you here from me for a while." Then he shoves me to my feet, and takes me back to the room I previously was in, with Layna and Demetri.


	46. Part 3: We Know Everything

I sit down on the bed and listen to Layna and Demetri talk. Layna asks me for what I think about the topic they're talking about, but I don't respond. I only nod absently. Finally, she sits beside me and puts her hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asks gently.

I shake my head. "I can't wait until we get out of here," I say in a hushed tone, because I'm pretty sure we're being watched.

She laughs. "Me too," she replies. "What did they do to you?"

I shake my head again. "I...I saw Finnick..." I say slowly. "but...he was..."

"I get it," says Layna. "He was with one of those Capitol girls, right?"

I nod. "Yeah," I reply. "But...it's not like he has a choice. So, I guess it's okay." I shrug. Demetri takes a seat beside me and lays his hand on my shoulder. I'm happy that I have these two here with me.

Night comes, and Layna and Demetri are just settling down when I become restless. I pace back and forth in the room, trying to calm my mind. I wish the walls would turn to water as they did in the Training Center. I press my hands against the wall, willing them to transform into a beach. But, of course, they don't. So I pace over to the door and press my hands against that instead. To my surprise, the door slides open at my touch. Without even thinking, I step out, and the door slides closed behind me. Too late to go back now. I might as well make my time out worth while.

I walk down one of the white corridors, turning when I feel like it, and trying doors wherever. One of the doors is labeled "Snow". I guess that's where Evre and her Peacekeepers will be on the fifth night. At least now I know where to go. I run my hand along the door and keep moving. I never intended to end up here, but pretty soon, I'm standing in front of the door with "Odair" written on it. I'm about to pass it by, when I feel a hand take mine roughly and pull me inside the room.

And then, I'm staring straight up at Finnick's beaten face. He looks so worn down; he has bags under his eyes, his face is bruised. He hugs me tightly to him. Every muscle in my body is screaming to hug him back, but I don't. I stand there, warmed by his embrace. He kisses me while still hugging my chest to his. This seems to bring me back to my normal self. I put both my hands around his neck and tug his hair between my fingers.

"Finnick..." I say, stopping to catch my breath. He looks at me. "You've been here the whole time?"

He nods slowly. "For the past four months," he replies. Four months? We've been here for four months? "You didn't honestly think Snow would let me go so easily, did you?"

"I hoped he would," I say, standing on my toes and resting my forehead against his.

Finnick sighs. "You're so selfless," he tells me.

I stare at him. "What do you mean by that?" I ask.

"You don't think about yourself," he says softly. "You volunteered to stay here so that I would be let go. You shouldn't have done that."

"You weren't even really let go," I remind him. "So it doesn't really matter."

"It does to me," he says. "I should have been the one to stay for you."

I shake my head. "We're both here now, right? Just forget it," I say.

We stand there together for another moment, just listening to each other breathe and feeling each other's heart beating. I stare into Finnick's eyes, absorbing what could be the last view I get of them for a while.

"Aury..." He leans down right next to me ear. I can practically feel my heartbeat quicken. "I want you," he says in the most seductive voice I've ever heard him use.

I laugh softly. He kisses my neck, then my shoulder. "I thought you wanted to be married first," I say back, kissing his cheek.

"I wanted to be," he whispers. "But I don't think I can stand another minute without you."

I look at him again, and he smiles at me. Before I can respond, I hear the door swing open. _Do you Capitol idiots have to ruin everything? _I groan irritably. President Snow comes into the room, wearing his sadistic grin.

"Aury, I wonder if I might have a word with you?" he says casually.

Finnick steps in front of me, protectively gripping my hand. "We're busy," he growls.

"You _were_," Snow retorts. Peacekeepers come from behind him, ready to kill if they need to. "Now, I need to speak with Aury." I really wish he would stop calling me Aury. I hate it when he does that. He doesn't deserve to call me that.

"Fine," I hiss. I push Finnick gently aside, and go with Snow. But not before kissing him goodbye.

Snow closes the door hastily behind me. "What the hell do you want now?" I demand. "You know, you have a habit of ruining everything."

"Oh, yes," he says. "So sorry about that. But I just thought that I should let you know..." He lowers his voice to dull hiss. "We know everything."

My heart stops and my stomach plummets. They know? They know about our plan to escape? How? I feel my eyes widen, but I quickly close them. Then I glare at Snow. "Know what?" I ask.

"Don't play that game with me," he says. "We know about your plans to escape. We know that you've been secretly conspiring with Evre." He laughs. "We know everything."

I shrug, though on the inside, I'm terrified. "I don't know what you're talking about," I say lightly. "I don't plan to escape. I find it quite lovely here." I laugh on the inside at how sarcastic I must sound.

"Listen," says Snow, taking a step toward me. "I'm not going to force you to admit anything, but just to be safe, I'm telling you that we know everything. You can tell your little friends that." Did he really believe me? Probably not. He's just tired of being argued with.

Snow orders his Peacekeepers to take me back to the gray room with Layna and Demetri. They shove me in and slam the door behind them.


	47. Part 3: Hopeless, but Fighting

"Aury!" Layna shrieks. "Where were you?"

"We thought Snow got a hold of you," Demetri tells me, standing up from his bed.

"He did," I shrug. "And..." I lower my voice to a barely audible whisper. I pull Demetri and Layna's heads toward me. "I think he knows about our plans to escape."

"How?" Layna gasps.

I shake my head. "I have no idea," I reply. I look over to Demetri. He has his head lowered, and he's staring at the ground. "Demetri..."

He shakes his head and grabs his hair between his fingers. "It's my fault," he admits.

"What did you do?" demands Layna, her gray eyes steaming like smoke.

"I...last night, I..." Demetri stammers. Layna lunges at him. It takes a few seconds, but I finally manage to pull her off and shove myself between the two.

"Go on, then, Demetri," I hiss at him. I'm not angry with him, I'm enraged.

He sighs. "Last night, around this time, Snow pulled me out, and he started asking questions..." He slides his back down the wall. I kneel down in front of him, ready to slit his throat if the situation presents itself.

Demetri pulls up his shirt sleeve, revealing series of cuts going up his arm. I gingerly run my fingers along them. He winces, and pulls his shirt sleeve down.

"Hmm," I huff. "Anything else?"

Unfortunately, he nods, and pulls his shirt up to his chin. He's badly bruised and cut, and what looks like a burn is running along his chest. I shake my head. Snow is a monster.

I sigh. I guess I can forgive Demetri for selling us out. "So, what happened?" I ask.

"He started asking questions," he tells me again. "And...I don't know, I just slipped, and...now he knows."

"You idiot!" Layna screeches. "How could you? What are we going to do now? How are we going to get out of here?" She lunges herself at Demetri again. This time, I can't stop her. So I just stay kneeling next to Demetri, taking a few of Layna's blows. Finally, she stops, and sits down with her face buried in her hands.

"Look, I didn't mean to!" Demetri says, brushing himself off.

"Well, you did!" Layna glares at him. "And now, we all have to pay for it!" She shakes her head angrily at him. "All of us! Think about..." She nods to me. "Think about Aury! She may never get to see Finnick again, because of you!"

Demetri sighs. "You're right. I didn't think of it like that. Sorry," he says.

"Don't apologize to me," she snorts. "Apologize to Aury. She's the one who got her life screwed up by you."

"Aury..." says Demetri. I roll my eyes and look at him. "Sorry you'll never get to see Finnick again."

"Not like that!" Layna yells.

"Well, how do you want me to do it?" Demetri demands.

"For one, don't make her remember all of the negative stuff!"

I get tired of hearing them yell at each other about things that weren't even the real reason they were fighting. "Both of you..." I mutter. "Shut the hell up!" They both turn to me. I stare at them angrily. "We're still getting out of here."

"How, Aury?" asks Layna, calming down. "How are we going to escape now?"

"I don't know," I admit. "Maybe we could just go through with our original plan. Or maybe we'll just have to improvise." I get to my feet and put my hands against the glass door. "Maybe we can...no. Maybe we'll just...just..." I sigh.

"Look, Aury, I know that you want to get back to Finnick," she says gently. Any signs of the Layna I saw ten seconds ago is completely gone. "But...I just don't see how we can get out now."

I feel rage well up in the pit of my stomach. I whip around to face Layna and Demetri. "You two are complete idiots," I hiss at them. They're eyebrows raise at me. "You're just giving up? After all you've done? You were the ones who has been helping Evre for the last year! Not me, and I haven't given up yet! You two are just..." I search for the right word. "hopeless."


	48. Part 3: Almost There

For the next three days, I don't speak much to Layna or Demetri. Either they've tried talking to me, and I haven't responded, or they haven't talked to me because they're afraid I'll have another outburst.

"Aury..." Demetri whispers to me. I look up at him. "It's the fifth day, you know." Oh. So it is.

"It is?" I ask. I try not to sound surprised, but I am. I'm also anxious. Because I know, even though Snow told me he knows about our scheme, we're still going to try.

"Yeah," he replies. "So...that means we're getting out of here."

I nod and smile at him. "Right," I say. I run my fingers along the edge of the disc on my silver chain from the arena. "You ready to fight if you have you?"

"Of course," he says, cracking his knuckles. I hate it when he does that.

I look over at Layna. She looks back at me, and nods. We're really going to do this. I feel a huge smiles cross my lips. Anxiousness and excitement, probably.

I sit on my bed, playing with my chain. We watched the opening ceremonies for the Games earlier. The District 4 tributes were both dressed in a blue shimmery tunic with a light green cape flowing out behind them. It was lovely, really.

"Aury," I hear Layna say quietly. She nods to the glass door. I notice that no one is outside our glass door anymore like they usually would be. That means it's getting late. It's night.

I nod. We wait for about another hour, I'd say. And then, when we're absolutely sure that there is no one outside, we crawl silently to the glass door. I remove the disc from my chain. I look behind me at Layna and Demetri, nod, and slide the disc slowly along the glass. It makes faint cuts through it. I make a full circle, redrawing it a few times to be sure that it's cut enough. Then, I nod to Demetri, who, as planned ahead of time, punches the glass through in such a way that it makes no sound at all. I grin at him, and go to work on the rest of the glass.

I wish there were keys to the door. Then we could just reach the keys through the glass, and we'd be free. But this is the Capitol. Nothing is that easy. I slide the disc along the glass again, this time, applying more pressure, and making a larger square hole towards the bottom of the glass. I make it completely through it, and the glass falls to the ground, with only a soft thud. I hear Layna laugh softly behind me, and I crawl stealthily through the hole in the glass.

_We're out, _I think to myself. I never expected it to be so easy. But, then again, we're only half way through the entire operation. I keep a lookout while Layna and Demetri slip through the hole in the glass after me. No one comes to arrest us. I don't even hear anything or anyone. Layna slips out easily, mostly because she's just as slim as me. Demetri, however, takes a second to pull his broad shoulders through. Once we're out, I nod, and start to walk noiselessly through the corridors.

We come to the spot just outside of Snow's office. And, just as Evre had said, she and about six other Peacekeepers are crouching outside. I slip silently to them. They notice me and the others, and grin. _Thanks for the help in escaping, _I think irritably. I shake my head and join Evre and her Peacekeepers.

And then I think, why is this so easy? Why hasn't anyone noticed us? Why hasn't there been an alarm set off? But I think I know the answer. The only reason we haven't been caught is because President Snow has something else planned.

"What are we supposed to do now?" I hear Demetri hiss to Evre.

"Get out of here," Evre replies. "This way."

She nods to us and her Peacekeepers, signalling us to follow her. We do, and pretty soon, we're outside of the door to Finnick's room. I walk up to it and press my hand against it. Then I look at Evre. She smiles.

"Did you really think we would leave him?" she asks me. Well, I honestly did, since she didn't say anything about Finnick coming with us.

I only smile back, and I quietly open the door. I peek my head inside, and there's Finnick, staring out the window with an expressionless face. I whisper his name, but he doesn't hear me. So I whisper it louder, and this time, he hears me and whips around. As soon as he sees me, he smiles. I beckon to him.

Suddenly, I hear Evre gasp, and I'm shoved into Finnick's room. The door is slammed hastily behind me. Finnick immediately takes me in his arms and swings me around. He puts me down and kisses me.

"Not now!" I say, pushing him away.

I hear him laugh as I press my ear against the door, listening. I can hear Evre and her Peacekeepers talking. To whom, I don't know. But it doesn't sound good. Mostly because the next thing I hear is a fist connecting with a face. There's some struggling, and then there's silence.

I look over at Finnick. He just shrugs, so I open the door slowly. Evre is right in front of me, staring at me with her brown eyes wide. She blinks at me and pulls the door open all the way. She points to my feet. I look down and see a Peacekeeper, unconscious.

"Nice," I say.

"It was a close call," she tells me. "But it all worked out."

I feel Finnick grab my hand before I walk out the door. He pulls me to him and locks his sea-green gaze on mine. I grab his face between my hands and kiss him. He grins at me, and I pull him through the door and to Evre and everyone else.

"Come on, then," says Evre, leading us down another series of corridors. "We're almost there."


	49. Part 3: A Great Favor

After another few minutes, of stealthily walking through corridors, we come to a small trap door above us. Evre pulls it open.

"Go," she orders us.

We do as ordered. We climb the ladder extending from the door, and when I reach the top, I feel fresh air blow all around me. I haven't breathed in fresh air for what seems like decades. I take it all in, until I feel a hand shoving me upward.

I look around. We're still in the Capitol, but we're in what looks like an abandoned alley. I wait for the others to reach the top, and then I turn to Evre.

"Where are we?" I ask her.

"At a friend's house," she tells me.

She walks over to a small wooden door that I hadn't even noticed until now. She pushes it open and walks in, motioning for us to follow her.

As soon as I step inside, I smell what seems to be salt. The air is musty and smells like the sea almost. The room is run-down looking, and isn't the cleanest. But it's better than being on the outside, given we're probably being searched for right now.

"Brindaline!" Evre calls. "Brindaline! We're here now."

From behind a small chair steps a lovely woman, maybe in her late thirties, with almost black hair and piercing yellowish green eyes. She eyes us all suspiciously and goes back behind her chair.

"No, Brindaline, these are the people I told you I was bringing. Remember?" Evre manages to coax this Brindaline from her hiding spot. She's wearing nothing but a thin satin robe the color of sand. Evre stands in front of us, her hand on Brindaline's shoulder. "This is Brindaline Duragia."

Brindaline waves to us politely. "So, you're the rebels?" she says. Her voice sounds much younger than the way she looks. It's soft and high pitched.

"You could say that," I hear Layna say from behind me.

"I see." Brindaline walks toward us, inspecting us closely.

Evre points to each of her Peacekeepers, naming them. "That's Ophelia, Jolie, Anabel, Ash, Xavier, and Jasper." She names Layna and Demetri. "This is Layna Rosswood and Demetri Todd. They were two of my most trusted companions." Then she comes over to where I'm standing, with Finnick gripping me tightly to him. "And this..." she says slowly. "is-"

"Evre, I know who that is," Brindaline interrupts. "I'm not stupid. That's Finnick Odair." She walks over and shakes Finnick's hand roughly. "And if this is Finnick..." She looks at me. Her yellow-green eyes are extremely intimidating. "Then this must be Auramarina Marx, am I right?"

"Yes," I reply, my voice steadier that I thought it would be. "I'm Aury."

"Beautiful name," Brindaline comments. "Well, if we're going to be calling each other by our nicknames, I might as well tell you that you can call me Brindal. I know, my name is kind of long."

This brings a grin to my face. Because I remember when I said that to Finnick. And I remember what his response was. _It's long, but it's pretty. _Finnick glances down at me, clearly remembering that moment as well. He kisses my forehead, then my cheek.

"What are we going to do now?" I hear a one of the Peacekeepers, Ophelia, I think, demand. Ophelia has short, spiky brown hair, bright green eyes, and is extremely pale, almost to the point where she looks translucent. She eyes Brindal suspiciously, like she doesn't trust her. I can't say that I completely trust her either. "We can't stay in this filthy place forever. Especially while we're being hunted." She walks over to the small window and peeks out. Then she whips around, glaring at each of us. "In fact, there are Peacekeepers swarming all over this place!"

Brindal shakes her head. "We'd better hurry, then," she says. She looks at Ophelia and hisses, "Lose the attitude."

Brindal leads us all down a dimly lit hallway covered in maroon wallpaper. She pushes us into a room that is so small, we're forced to literally squish together. She reaches up and pulls a string dangling above our heads. A light flickers on, and I notice that the room is actually quite large.

"What do you think?" I hear Finnick whisper to me.

"What?" I say, looking at him.

"Of Brindal? Of all of this? What do you think?" he asks again.

I shrug. "The sooner we get out of this place, the better," I reply.

"Here." Brindal shoves a dark green robe in my hands. "Put that on."

I slip it on over me. It's a lot larger than necessary, and I have to lift it up just to walk. Brindal walks behind me and starts to braid my hair down my back. Then she comes with a towel and wipes my face with it. When she stops, she looks at it, and shakes her head.

"The Capitol didn't alter your face any?" she says.

"Um..." I put my hand up to my cheek. "I don't...think so."

"She's asking you if you're wearing any of their makeup," the Peacekeeper called Anabel tells me. Anabel has medium length bright red hair and golden eyes. She's very tall and thin, and has an almost rosy complexion.

"Oh," I say, nodding. "Well, then, no."

Brindal looks at me like I'm insane. "No makeup?" she says.

I shake my head. "None." I wouldn't let them touch my face even if they tried.

"But...you're...you're really pretty." I turn my head and see the one called Jasper, with pale blue eyes and black hair, looking at me. I doubt he meant for that sentence to come out of his mouth. I just grin at him and shake my head.

"I try," I say jokingly. His face turns a bright red and he looks away.

I glance at Finnick. I can see the muscles in his arm tensed and his face losing color. So I stand on my toes and kiss him. He hugs me close to him and glares at Jasper.

"Well, since you aren't wearing any," continues Brindal. "you'll just have to keep your face covered as best you can."

"Why?" I ask as she tries to cover my head with the robe's hood.

"Because you can't travel through the Capitol without going unnoticed. Especially you, Mr. Odair." She walks over to Finnick and hands him a robe the same color as mine. "You're going to need to keep a low profile until you get out. Or...well, you know what will happen." I do. We'll get arrested. Probably executed. Maybe not Finnick, but the rest of us will.

Finnick slips the robe over his head. It drapes down just to his ankles, and he pulls the hood over his head. "Good?" he asks Brindal.

She shakes her head. "No," she replies gruffly. "I can still see your face."

"How could you miss his face?" asks Jolie, another of Evre's Peacekeepers. Jolie has light brown eyes and hair the exact same color that reaches to just below her shoulders. "It's gorgeous." And right then, I catch a glimpse of Glade in Jolie's personality.

"Thank you," Finnick replies, giving her a wink. My fiancee, the flirt. I shake my head, slightly grinning to myself. He pulls me closer to him and kisses my forehead.

"Oh, I totally agree," says Brindal. "But, for now, we're going to have to cover it up the that best we can." She walks over to Finnick, with a handful of powder, and tosses it in Finnick's face. He coughs and brushes some of it off his face and away from his eyes and nose.

"What was that for?" he gasps.

"You can't go an hour without people recognizing you, let alone an entire day," Brindal replies.

She dresses Evre and her Peacekeepers in robes of various colors, pulling their hoods onto their heads. We look like idiots by the time she's finished.

"Okay," says Brindal with a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "I think that's the best we can do."

"Thank you, Brindaline," Evre says, hugging her. "You've done us a great favor."

"I know," she replies.

Brindal leads us through another series of hallways until we come to another wooden door. She nods to us and pulls it open. "Best get out before my shoppers come in," she tells us. So that's where we've been? In a store? "Or before the streets get too crowded."

Without another word, she shoves us out the door and onto the concrete streets of the Capitol.


	50. Part 3: Inevitable

All eyes are on us as soon as we take our first step. I keep my head low, only glancing upward to take a look at all the freakish faces staring me down. Silently, I pray that none of them recognize me or Finnick. I hear some murmuring, but it soon stops, and the Capitol people go on their way. I'm surprised that so many of them are on the streets this early. The sun is just barely peeking over the tall buildings. I estimate it's probably about five in the morning.

"This way," Evre whispers to us.

We follow her swiftly and silently down the street, with a minimal amount of people muttering about how we're dressed. I hope none of them think this is too suspicious.

All the while, I can't help thinking that the whole operation has been easy. Far too easy. And, the more I think about it, the more terrified I become of what might lie ahead of us.

Suddenly, a great mass blocks my way. I dare to look up, and I see an actual Peacekeeper standing in front of me. He glowers over me and I feel Finnick grab my hand and tug me backward.

"What's your name, may I ask?" says the Peacekeeper, eyeing me suspiciously.

"I...it's..." I struggle to come up with a clever Capitol sounding name.

"She's Ione Derilah," I hear Evre tell the Peacekeeper loudly.

"Hmm," the Peacekeeper huffs. "What's with the robes?"

"We just bought them from Brindaline Duragia's shop," says Evre confidently. "Go ask her if you don't believe me."

The Peacekeeper scowls at Evre, but lumbers away, probably toward Brindal's shop. I hear Layna sigh in relief, and I see Jasper relax his muscles. I nod to Evre and mouth a thank you.

"We'd better move a little faster," she says. "Aury, watch where you're going."

My face burns with embarrassment. We follow Evre, faster this time, along the streets, trying to avoid as many people as possible. As we run on the concrete, a strong gust of wind picks up. I immediately slam my hand on top of my head to keep my hood from blowing up, but it's too late. My hood flies off my head, exposing my bright blonde hair. And of course, this attracts a lot of attention.

I whip my head to Finnick anxiously, begging for his help. But I see he's in the exact same position. In fact, everyone's hood has blown off their heads, and they're frantically trying to pull them back up. We're all scrambling around and causing loads of commotion. Finnick, however, attracts the most attention. I hear one of the Capitol girls squeal in excitement, and then I hear the loud pounding of Peacekeeper boots.

"Go!" I hear Evre shout, pushing us along. And the entire time we run, Finnick refuses to let go of my hand. I'm glad. I don't want to lose him again.

We make it through the streets without losing anyone, but we still have what seems to be miles ahead of us. We persist, however, and we keep running full speed, shoving people out of our way.

We manage to come to a huge waterfall, man-made by the Capitol people. I don't slow my pace. Because the Peacekeepers are still on our heels and I know what's coming next. I pick up speed and, with Finnick's hand still gripped in my own, dive over the edge. I don't see the others do the same, but I trust they're wise enough to follow.

And they are. I break the surface of the water, gasping for air and fighting to keep my head above the water. I'm pulled back under. Then I feel my robe torn off of my body, and I float to the surface with ease. Now, I'm dressed in nothing more than a pure white dress. I suck in as much air as possible, and look around.

Evre and her Peacekeepers all made it. Finnick made it. We're al here, and safe. I glance above me, to where the Peacekeepers are standing, deciding whether to jump in after us or not. One of them calls to the others, and they move away. Good.

Then I see Finnick's charming sea-green eyes looking at me, searching for any signs of injury on my face or body. He puts my face between his hands and kisses me. His robe is also gone, and he's in nothing but his pants. I wrap my arms around his neck as best I can and kiss him back.

"Not now!" I hear Ophelia say as she pushes us apart. "We have more important things to worry about."

I hate to admit it, but she's right. I nod briefly. "Where do we go from-" I'm cut off by a loud sound, almost like a wave crashing on a shore. I turn quickly around, searching for the source of the sound. I see nothing.

Suddenly, I hear a high pitched shriek. I whip back around and see Jolie being pulled underwater. I reach out to her and she grabs my hand, pulling me down with her. I try to pull her to the surface, but whatever force that is pulling us down is stronger than both of us. Much stronger. I have no choice but to give into it and hope that I don't drown, which seems inevitable.


	51. Part 3: End: Another Arena

When I open my eyes, I'm staring at the sun. Its rays pierce my eyes, and I quickly shut them again. After another moment, I dare to open them slowly. I sit up and glance around, wondering what happened to everyone else. I pull my knees to my chest and gather my thoughts. We were caught by Peacekeepers, but we escaped. We dove over a waterfall. Jolie and I were sucked under the water...so how is it that I'm on land right now?

I put my hands on the ground, and find that it's sand. I'm sitting on sand. I grin to myself and draw little designs in the gritty substance. After I'm finished, I get to my feet and look around. Well, there's sand. And more sand. Nothing but sand.

And then, I see Jolie, lying on the sand, unconscious as I was. I stagger over to her on wobbly legs and shake her. She doesn't wake up, so I resort to slapping her a few times. Finally, she sits straight up and stares at me. "What...where are we?" she asks.

I shake my head. "I don't know," I tell her. She casts her eyes down and pats the sand. "Sand. Nothing but sand."

I help Jolie to her feet and look around again. I don't see anyone else. Wait...yes, I do. I can see the sun's rays reflecting off of Evre's bright blonde hair. I run as best as I can over to her. She's awake already, staring out into the distance. I don't bother trying to bring her back. She'll come back in her own time, which better be soon. Then, I notice a group of people, sitting not too far from Evre. Her Peacekeepers. Well, all of them except for Jolie, who is spinning in circles, examining the terrain. I pat Evre's back gently, which brings her out of her trance. She looks up at me and smiles weakly.

I'm about to ask her where we are, when I spot something else. A glimpse of bronze hair shining against the sand. I smile and run over to where Finnick is getting to his feet. He sees me, and immediately embraces me, hugging my head to his chest. I wrap my arms around him, relishing the familiarity of the muscles on his back. He reaches down and kisses me, until Evre's gentle hands pull us apart. I notice her forehead is sweating, and so are her palms.

"Before either of you ask, I don't know where we are, or what happened," she says. She hugs me, then Finnick. "I'm glad you two are okay, though."

"Are _you _okay?" I ask. "You don't look so good." I press my hand to her forehead, which seems to be drenched in sweat. I quickly pull it away and wipe the sweat on my dress.

"I'm fine," she reassures me. "It's just...it's really warm here."

I haven't realized it until now, but it is. It's extremely warm. I glance around one more time, and finally, our destination becomes apparent to me. "This is a desert," I say to Evre.

She glances around as I did, and nods in agreement. "So it is," she says calmly. "I've never been in a desert. I have no idea how you're supposed to-"

Evre's soft voice is cut off by a loud snarling sound. I look behind her, and see about ten animals that look like they could be herons, if not for the claws on their feet and the unusual snout filled with sharp teeth. I turn Evre quickly around, showing her the danger.

"These are mutts," I gasp to her and Finnick. How is that possible? How are there mutts here? True, I don't know where we are, but mutts usually only exist in-

"Evre!" The Peacekeeper called Ash calls to her. He bolts toward us, followed by the other Peacekeepers and, unfortunately, the mutts.

The heron mutts are incredibly fast, closing in on Evre's Peacekeepers. I shout to them, urging them forward. They manage to outrun the mutts and get to Finnick, Evre, and I. We run alongside them. The entire time, I can feel the mutts' jaws snapping at my feet and I can hear their vicious, animalistic snarls and roars.

The mutts stop pursuing us. I can't tell why, but they do. Good thing, too, because we're all pretty winded right now. I put my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. I notice everyone else doing the same. I see Ash collapse into the sand, along with Jasper, and Xavier? I think that's his name. Jolie, Ophelia, and Anabel wipe their foreheads with their hands, and Evre is completely passed out on the ground. I shake my head and stand up straight.

Finnick takes me in his arms again and kisses me. I kiss him back, then shove him away lightly. "It's too hot for that," I tell him with a laugh. But it's true. It's too hot to have contact with another person.

I take his hand in mine and, for some reason, wander away from the others. I drag my feet along the sand, making footprints next to Finnick's. I smile at him and he kisses my forehead. Yet, the famous question still lingers in the back of my head. _Why me? _

"Ow!" I yelp as my head slams against what feels like a metal wall. I fall backward into the sand, my hand on my head. "What?" I look in front of me, expecting to see a huge silver wall. Instead, I see nothing. I slowly get to my feet and walk cautiously to where I was. I stand there and examine the space just in front of my eyes. There's nothing. That is, until I reach my hand out, and it's zapped backward. I jerk my hand away and hold it to my chest. "It's..." A force field. I finish the sentence in my head.

I grip my hair between my fingers. "Finnick..." I say. It all makes sense now. The mutts, the unrealistically high temperatures, the force field. "We're in an arena."


	52. Part 4: Prologue: I Wish

_ We're in an arena. The words I just spoke ring in my ears, like the loud shriek of a hawk in flight. I don't get it. Why is Snow out to kill us so badly? Why does he want to kill us in the most malicious way possible? Right now, I wish we were dead. I wish we were all dead. It would be better. _


	53. Part 4: We'll Make It

Fear. That's the only emotion I see reflected back to me in Finnick's eyes. And maybe a bit of shock. For a moment, he stares at me in disbelief. I hardly believe it myself. We're in an arena. Maybe not the arena, used in the actual Hunger Games, but it's an arena. I'm positive.

"Don't you get it?" I say. "Snow practically let us escape, just so he could put us here. That's the only reason it was so easy to get out of the Capitol."

I put my hands on my head. I don't want to believe that we're in another arena. But we are, there's nothing that's going to change that. I sigh and kick the force field, which is a mistake. I grip my foot in pain and hobble over to Evre and her Peacekeepers. I have no idea how I'm going to tell them.

"Evre..." I say softly, sitting next to her and still gripping my foot. She looks at me. "I think...I think we're in an arena." Her eyes widen and her pupils dilate. But then her eyelids sink down and she looks calm, almost relaxed. She shakes her head.

"I figured Snow had something planned for us," she says indifferently. She shrugs. "Well, you and Finnick have been in an arena before. What do we have to do first?"

Her question takes me aback. I stare at her. "Um..." I don't exactly know how to answer her correctly. The first thing us Careers did in the arena was look for water. But there's absolutely no water here. "We need water...but...considering we're in a desert..."

She glances at me, but turns her head back to look at the sand. "That's too bad..." she replies lightly. What is wrong with her? She doesn't seem herself. "I guess we should...move on, then."

"To where?" I ask. "There's nothing but sand here..." Considering all my years of loving the stuff, I'm surprised that it's become my worst nightmare so quickly.

"To...somewhere that isn't here," says Evre blankly. There is absolutely no emotion to her voice. It worries me.

"Are you alright?" I ask her, laying my hand on her shoulder.

After a moment's hesitation, she nods unconvincingly. "It's just...this is...this is the sort of place I first met Eragon at." Oh, I get it now.

"I'm...sure he's watching you right now," I tell her, not know what else to say.

She sighs. "Do you think Panem is watching us?" she whispers.

Now, this I can't answer. Because I honestly don't know. Maybe they are. But it wouldn't make sense, because the Hunger Games are happening at this very moment. Everyone is Panem is meant to be watching that right now, not us.

"Probably not," I say, hoping that I'm correct.

I stroll over to Evre's Peacekeepers to tell them the bad news. But Finnick is already there, sitting with Jolie, Ophelia, and Anabel wrapped around him. He puts his arms around all three of them as best he can. In a way, I'm glad. Because he seems to be flirting with them. It's like how he was before. And I like the old Finnick. The flirty one. I grin at my somewhat idiotic thought and take a seat next to Finnick, joining his group of adorers.

I glance at Finnick, silently asking him if he told them that we're in an arena. He nods briefly, and turns his attention back to Ophelia. I shake my head at him, and catch Ash's eye. He grins at me, nods to Finnick, then winks at me. I grin back and shake my head again. I'm back to denying my jealousy. I intend to keep it that way for a little while. I take a deep breath. I'm not jealous. I smile to myself. I feel like I'm going back in time, to when we weren't running for our lives from President Snow. It was a happier time.

I scoot over to where Layna and Demetri are sitting, away from everyone else. They glance at me, and go back to their quiet discussion. I shrug. "Did you hear that-" I begin.

"That we're in an arena?" Demetri finishes my sentence. "Yeah, we heard." He shakes his head. "It's not good. It's not good at all, for any of us." I tip my head to the side, and he goes on. "The Gamemakers, more likely than not, are controlling this, as well as the Hunger Games. They're going to find a way to make us all enemies."

"Probably," Layna agrees. "They're going to make us fight one another, just like the Hunger Games. It's not going to end well."

"Don't worry," I say calmly. "We'll make it. All of us." They nod, but I can tell, it's mostly for my benefit.


	54. Part 4: The Old Finnick

"How are we supposed to get out of this?" Finnick asks me as we watch the sun dip behind the sand dunes. He puts his arm around my shoulder and hugs me to him. I glance up at him, and notice him wink at Jolie, who is settling down next to Xavier and Ophelia.

I don't answer his question. Instead, I move on to a different subject. "It's nice to see the old Finnick back," I say.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"I don't know exactly...it's just, it's nice to see the flirty Finnick back. Like, how you were before all of..._this _happened," I explain as best as I can. "Maybe...being through so much with Snow...I just needed to have a taste of what it was like before he even knew I existed." It's difficult to explain this to Finnick, mainly because I'm practically asking him to flirt with everyone he can. And maybe I am. It's the way Finnick was before. And I like the old Finnick.

"So...you like it when I try to seduce Jolie and Ophelia?" he asks slyly. That's more like it. I just laugh. "Well, I guess I'll do it more often. Just as long as you won't get jealous." He's teasing me now. I smile.

"I never get jealous," I say, which is a complete lie. I'm easily jealous.

"I know," he replies with a wink. I just grin at him and press my forehead against his chest.

"Anyway, how _are _we supposed to get out of this?" he asks.

I let out a long sigh. "I have no idea," I admit. "Maybe just...go with it for a while until..."

"Until you come up with something?" Finnick suggests.

"Or until we all die," I say flattly, staring at the fading sun with an expressionless face.

I fall into a sort of trance that I can't stop from consuming my body and mind. I start to wonder depserately about Heron. How is he? How has he been getting on? Or worse, has the Capitol gotten hold of him? If so, what are they doing to him? Have they killed him? Are they killing him? Are they trying to get information that he doesn't know from him? I inhale sharply and tug my mind away from those thoughts.

Suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's not Finnick's, it's Jasper's. "Are you okay?" he asks gently. I guess my blank staring has been more noticable than I thought.

"Fine," I say back, smiling at him.

"Are you sure?" he persists.

"She said she's fine," I hear Finnick growl. Jasper immediately backs off, and goes to lay next to Layna and Demetri instead. I can't help surpressing a laugh.

Finnick's words from the opening ceremony night ring in my ears, loud and clear. _Are you jealous? _I grin and look at Finnick, who's glaring at Jasper, maybe sizing him up. Jasper looks to be about in his early twenties, but he's almost the same size as Finnick. Just a bit larger, particularly in the upper arm area.

"Are you jealous?" I ask Finnick, using the exact same tone he used when he asked me the same question. I cross my arms and eye him teasingly.

He grins, remembering the day as clearly as I do. "Me? Jealous?" he says in disbelief. Then he shakes his head dismissively.

I have to admit, it might not be too good to live in the past, especially when we have so many people hunting us down. We have more important things to worry about, other than reliving the better times. Still, I can't help myself. Thinking, remembering what it was like all those months ago, it's the only thing that keeps me sane.

I sigh. "Remember Cora and Cole?" I ask Finnick, still wanting to reminisce.

"Yeah," he replies, stroking my hair. "Remember Tex and Dutchess?"

"How could I forget either of them?" I say with a laugh. "Tex tried to kill me and could be classified as insane, and Dutchess..."

"Dutchess was nice," says Finnick simply.

"She seemed to like you plenty." I give him a slight nudge with my elbow.

"Don't all girls?" he says back, running his fingers through his hair.

"I miss Czech," I say, hugging my knees to my chest.

"And I miss Luna," replies Finnick.

I laugh a bit. "She always dressed you in the most attractive clothes ever," I say, a little sarcastic.

"She did, didn't she?" he says, laughing along with me. "She made me look irresistable."

"Completely."

The sun is gone, and only the reflection of the moon's light off the sand provides lighting. The temperature has to be well below freezing. Or maybe it just feels that way since I, along with everyone else, spent the day almost burning to death. I lie next to Finnick, his arms gripping me tightly to him, and my arms in resting on his chest with my hands balled in fists. While the others sleep, I'm left awake, as usual. No sleep ever comes to me voluntarily.

I look up at Finnick. It seems like he's having a nightmare; his face is twisted in a sort of grimace. I feel bad for him. The temperatures are low, and he's shirtless. Nice. I move closer to him, and stare at the moon. It's not the real moon, of course. It's the Gamemakers' moon. I finally start to drift off, when it starts to make its journey across the black sky.


	55. Part 4: Weapons and Worry

I feel hands on my shoulders shaking me awake. I quickly shove them off me and sit up, wiping the sleep from my eyes. It may be early morning, but the heat is already rising. I put my hand next to me, feeling the warm sand. Then I get to my feet, and I see Ash staring at me.

"What?" I say, harsher than intended.

"Nothing," he says, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Right," I say, rolling my eyes.

I stagger over to Evre, who's sitting up and has her face in her hands. I wonder when she's coming back. Whenever it is, it better be soon. She's the closest thing to a leader we have. I pat her back lightly and she gets to her feet.

"Where do we go, Evre?" I ask her gently.

"Somewhere," she replies. "Anywhere."

I shrug and walk over to Layna and Demetri, who haven't left each other' sides since we got here. I start to wonder if maybe they have feelings for each other. The thought makes me grin. Even in the worst situations, love can still blossom.

"We should be moving," I tell them, though they're probably smart enough to know that already.

"To where?" asks Layna. Already, sweat seems to be pouring down her face.

"Anywhere," I reply, the same words Evre said.

Layna glances around. "Where's Finnick?" she asks, with an edge of concern in her voice.

I look behind me and around me. She's right. He's not around. I groan frustratedly. Wherever he is, he'd better be close. I motion to Demetri and Layna.

"I'll go get him. Just...tell everyone else to stay here," I say, turning to find Finnick.

This is just perfect. Finnick chose the best time to go running off. Scalding heat and no water in sight. Perfect setting to run away. But then I think, Finnick isn't stupid. If he had to leave, it had to have been for good reason. Then again, dehydration could be starting to set in. Maybe he was hallucinating and ran off without even realizing it.

After trudging through the sand for about five minutes, I see him. I decide it wouldn't be best to run, given that running would only exert my body more. Instead, I walk nonchalantly up to him. When I get close enough, I see what he's looking at. At first, I think it's the Cornucopia. But it's not. It looks like it, but it's not. Because the Cornucopia is in _the _arena for the Hunger Games. This looks more like a shelter that just happens to contain masses of weapons and even a bit of food. I grin at the sight.

"Nice, huh?" says Finnick.

"Very," I agree. "How did you know it was here?"

"I didn't," he admits.

"So you just left?" I say, burning my gaze into his.

"No..." he says quietly. I shrug. It's not really a big deal anymore. He found this, didn't he?

"Well...we should probably get everyone down here," I say. "So they can have their weapon of choice." And then I realize, if it was necessary to put weapons in this arena, there must be some reason that we'll need them. This, of course, is not going to end well.

Finnick and I walk back to Evre and her Peacekeepers. The whole time, Finnick doesn't let go of my hand. When we arrive, they're all sleeping, which isn't a great idea, considering they're only burning up in the sun. I quickly go and kick them lightly to wake them up. Finnick does the same, mostly to the girls, and winks at each one of them. I hear them giggling and I roll my eyes and shake my head. It's comical how naive they can be.

Once I kick Jasper, he's on his feet immediately. He looks around frantically. "Is something wrong?" he gasps.

"No," I say. "Calm down."

"Oh," he replies. "I thought we were being attacked again. I didn't know if you needed my help."

I scoff, but can't help grinning at him. "I think I can protect myself," I tell him.

"True," he says, lowering his voice. "Between you and me, you seem pretty tough for such a looker." He takes my hand and kisses it.

I laugh uncomfortably. Maybe Finnick isn't the only one who can charm people into liking them. However, I don't embrace this fact. I consider it a curse. I tug my hand away from Jasper and grin awkwardly at him.

I feel Finnick's hand on my back. He glares at Jasper as he did last night, and I can feel him tense up. Finnick might love it when girls fight over him, but I think two guys fighting over me is ridiculous. It's like I'm some grand prize for them to win.

I turn around to face Finnick, about to speak, when I see Ophelia behind him, rubbing his shoulders. I may not admit it to Finnick, but I'm pretty pissed at this. I guess we both get jealous easily, but are too stubborn to admit it. I stand on my toes and kiss him, making sure it's as passionate as possible just to rub it in Ophelia's face. Finnick, probably wanting to rub this in Jasper's face, takes me off my feet, forcing me to wrap my legs around his waist.

After we're finished, both Ophelia and Jasper have gone away. I grin up at Finnick, who still seems to be on edge. I laugh. "Jealous much?" I say flirtatiously.

"Nope," he says, shaking his head. "You?"

"Never," I hiss as I did once in the Training Center. He kisses me quickly and walks away. I shake my head at him and go the opposite direction.

It takes a few minutes to convince everyone that we found a Cornucopia. Some were a little sceptical and thought we were hallucinating, but eventually, they admitted we have to move anyway. We walk at an abnormally slow pace, and I find myself hanging at the end of the group, watching Finnick and Anabel chatter on about shit I don't care about.

"What are you thinking about?" I turn my head to the left and see Xavier's dark brown eyes staring at me.

"Nothing," I mutter.

"Thinking about Finnick?" he guesses. I hesitate, then nod. "Thinking about the past he has with the Capitol girls?" I glare at him and shake my head, but he goes on. "You know, his first was some girl from District 1 named Cashmere. She was eighteen - well, she's twenty one - and he was fifteen."

"Why are you telling me this now?" I snap.

"Because I want you to be sure about the sort of past he has as the Capitol's prostitute," Xavier tells me. I start to wonder how he even knows about that, but then I remember, Xavier is a Peacekeeper. "And I want you to be sure of all the other options you have." I scoff at him. He's ridiculous. "Think about it for a minute, will you? Finnick has been sleeping with thousands of women for the past three years. Do you really want someone like that? Someone who's had his mouth and body all over other girls? Think about his past, Aury."

Something snaps inside me. I expect to feel rage well up inside of me, but I don't. Instead, I feel despair and loss. Maybe…maybe it's because I know, in a sense, Xavier is absolutely right. I stop in my tracks for a moment, watch Xavier stare at me, then push myself on. I walk next to him wordlessly for another minute.

"I know about his past," I finally say in a hushed tone, but still in a defensive manner. "I know what he's done. I know that he has every woman in Panem lining up to share his bed." I stop just in time to hold back a soft sob.

"And you're okay with it? You're okay with going out with, in reality, a man-whore?" There's an edge in Xavier's voice that scares me a little and make wonder if he might have a grudge with Finnick over something. Or someone.

I stare at Xavier, resting my gaze on his, and letting it burn, hopefully, right into his soul. "Finnick may be a man-whore," I say, not able to contain a small laugh. "But he loves me." Simple enough.

"Did he tell you that?" he asks.

"As a matter of fact, he did," I snort.

"Okay," he shrugs. "But are you sure you can trust what he says? Finnick has quite a way with words." Then, he nods, and pulls ahead to Anabel.

I'm not angry with Xavier. I'm pissed. I don't know who the hell he thinks he is, saying all that stuff. But, honestly, I know he's right. He's right about Finnick sleeping with thousands of women, and, I can't believe I'm even thinking this, but he might be right about Finnick not meaning that he loves me. All that saying how much he's in love with me, it could just be a ploy, to get me in bed with him. I guess maybe I'm not that bad looking, and I sure as hell can seduce people if I really try. Maybe I've seduced Finnick enough to make him want me, which I know he does. But for what reasons? Because he loves me? Because he's basically a prostitute, and it's in his nature? Or because he just thinks I'm good-looking?

I let out a long sigh, but continue walking. What is Xavier playing at? Is he saying that just to get me to change my mind about Finnick? Or is he saying it because he really thinks it's all true. I expect the former, but I don't really know him that well to decide.


	56. Part 4: Examples

We finally come to the Cornucopia look alike, and I hear Evre and each one of her Peacekeepers let out harmonious gasps. I shake my head at them. Don't they know what this means? It means that those weapons are there to be used. We approach the weapons, and I notice that the setup is exactly perfect for each of us. They're the exact weapons of choice for us. Spears, throwing knives, maces, swords, and even a silver trident, for Finnick, of course. Nice.

I immediately head for the spears. I sling about five of them over my shoulder and grab about a half dozen throwing knives as well. Considering I'm not wearing any pants, only a dress, I don't have anywhere to store these knives besides in the boots that lace all the way up to knees.

I notice that Evre seems to be back to her normal self. She's examining each weapon carefully, probably deciding on which one to take. I stroll over to her.

"I would go with that," I tell her, pointing to a sword shining in the sunlight. She picks it up, twirls it around in her hand, and nods.

"Thanks, Aury," she says in her normal, soft voice. "I'm sorry if I've been…a little…gone."

"It's fine," I say. I pat her on the back lightly and walk away.

I glance over and see Finnick with Anabel, Ophelia, and Jolie pouring over him as usual. The conversation Xavier and I had earlier comes into my mind. I quickly shake my head, pushing these thoughts out. Still, Xavier's words linger in the back of my mind. _Are you sure he meant what he said? Finnick has quite a way with words. _

I look down, and see the trident that is supposed to belong to Finnick lying on the ground, untouched. So, naturally, I pick it up. I spin it in my hand.

"Finnick!" I call to him. He looks over and sees the trident in my hand. His eyes widen. I hold it up and wave to him with it. "I think this is yours." Without waiting to see if he's ready or not, I toss it to him. He catches it with such ease that it impresses me as much as Evre's female Peacekeepers. In fact, I hear them all sigh and throw themselves at him even more.

I hear Ophelia telling him how well he caught his trident. I roll my eyes at her, and start to walk away. She's so loud, though, that it doesn't help to walk away. I whip around on her, and see her running her hand up Finnick's chest. I tip my head and narrow my eyes at her. She doesn't notice. Of course.

"Nice body," she says to him. He doesn't react beyond grinning at her. Thank god. She runs her hand along his chest again, and I can feel that unwanted jealousy rising in me. "I wonder how much I'd have to pay to get some of it."

I'm about to go slice the shit out of her, but I'm held back by a set of hands. "See what I mean?" Xavier. I turn on him. "Ophelia is the perfect example of everything that Finnick does." I glare at him for a minute, then turn back to Finnick and Ophelia.

To my surprise, he's pushing her off of him. She persists, though, and he loses his balance. She falls on top of him, giggling like a complete idiot.

_Enough is enough, _I think irritably to myself. I _tried _ to not get jealous. But I failed. I storm over to where Ophelia is laying on Finnick, making no attempt to let him up. My first intention is to run her straight through with one of my spears, but really, who wants another Fae situation? So instead, I slow down, walk calmly over, and glower over them. My shadow cast over them looks menacing, I must say, which adds a nice touch.

"Aury," says Finnick, shoving Ophelia off him and getting to his feet. "Um..." He scratches his neck uncomfortably.

I laugh a bit. "Good thing you got her off you," I say, low enough so that she doesn't hear. "We wouldn't want another Fae, would we?" He laughs along with me and tugs me to him. I glance once at Ophelia, then Finnick leads me away to Layna and Demetri.

I feel like it's sort of my responsibility to check up on those two every now and again. Layna was my friend when I needed one, which was when I was trapped in the lower Capitol. And Demetri, well, he was more like a bonus to the whole friend situation. I look up at Finnick, who's staring stonily ahead at them both. I don't bother asking what's wrong, because I already know.

"How are you two doing?" I ask brighter than intended when we approach them. I sit down next to them and they look at me like I'm insane. I only grin at them.

"Fine," Layna shrugs. She holds up an axe. "Think this'll do for the time being?"

I nod. "As long as you know how to use it well," I reply. Demetri holds up a strange looking object beside me. I examine it, then take it in my hands. "What is it?"

He shrugs. "I don't know," he replies. "But it's probably good for something."

This thing that I'm holding is basically a long thin piece of shiny silver metal. I put my lips to the bottom of it and blow. To my surprise as well and the others', a little pin shoots out from the bottom. I cautiously pick it up and look at it closely. I can just barely make out small droplets of liquid, probably poison, dripping out from the bottom. I grin and hand it to Demetri, who infers the same thing as I do.

"Nice," he says. He takes his weapon back, holding it like it's a piece of gold now.

I pat his shoulder and get to my feet. Finnick does the same, and pulls me closer to him. I think about resisting, because what Xavier said to me is still bugging me. But, in the end, I don't. Maybe it was stupid that I didn't.

"Aury." I turn around to Jasper's overly friendly pale blue eyes. "We need food," he says simply. I'm about to say something really unpleasant to him, since I feel like he's practically telling me to get food for him, but he goes on. "Want to hunt? I don't know exactly what's going to be around here but...we should at least try."

I nod in agreement. "Sure, Jas," I say, pulling his new nickname right off the top of my head.

Jasper leans his head toward mine. "I think it would be smart for me to ask Finnick to come too, don't you think?" he says.

I laugh. "Definitely," I reply.

"Finnick, if you-" Jasper is cut off by, this time, Jolie's high pitched, extremely annoying voice.

"Finnick was just going to come teach us how to use these things," she says like she owns the guy. "Weren't you?"

Once again, I'm tempted to shout every foul thing I've ever learned, but somehow, I manage to hold it back. Before Finnick or Jasper can respond, Jolie pulls him away to where Ophelia and Anabel are. Just like back in the Training Center over a year ago, I notice a few jealous male faces directing evil glares to Finnick. I grin to myself. As horrible as it was, I'd much rather be there instead of here.

I shrug and turn to Jasper. "So, we were going to hunt?" I say casually. Though, on the inside, I'm burning with rage. Maybe I'm not completely over this jealousy issue I have.


	57. Part 4: The Attack

Jasper and I walk I'd say maybe about a mile away from the group. We have absolutely no luck whatsoever in finding anything that's edible. And, unfortunately, I feel the effects of dehydration taking over my body, as well as Jasper's. It's all over the place. And it's getting pretty ridiculous.

Eventually, Jasper and I give up, and just sit in the sand for a while, making miniature sand castles and drawing pictures on the ground. We talk as well, about nothing in particular, until e has to say something that catches me off guard.

"So...I'm pretty surprised that you weren't one of Snow's...you know..." He begins to draw a picture in the sand of a star.

"One of Snow's prostitutes?" I say, glancing up from my little sand castle.

"Yeah. I just assumed...you know, with you being a victor and all..." Jasper sure stammers a lot.

"Snow only takes desirable victors, remember?" I remind him, poking at my sand castle with one of my knives.

"You are desirable, though," he says casually. He realizes what he said, and tenses up. "Well...at least...Finnick thinks so."

"Finnick thinks a lot of girls are desirable," I say glumly. I take my handle of my knife and drive it downward into the sand castle, making it crumple into a heap of sand.

Jasper doesn't talk for the next few minutes. He sighs. "Finnick Odair...has an...interesting past," he says slowly.

I look up at him. "Define 'interesting'," I say.

"Interesting as in not the best," he replies, not looking at me.

I groan. "Oh, not you too!" I say. "Look, Jas, you don't need to go on telling me about what kind of past Finnick has. I already know, and plus, Xavier made sure that the idea of Finnick sleeping with thousands of Capitol women was imbedded into my brain." I realize in the midst of my rant, I must have gotten to my feet, because I'm now glowering over Jasper like he's a piece of meat and I'm a Capitol mutt.

Jasper seems pretty taken back by my sudden outburst, so I relax. I realize I can be a bit scary when I'm pissed off, even if he does have a good five inches on me and is a lot more heavily built. I reach down and put my hand on his head.

"We should go back," he suggests lightly, as if not to provoke me more. He picks up the knife I used to smash my sand castle and hands it to me cautiously. "Come on." He takes my hand lightly, and I actually let him.

When we get back, the sun is barely visible over the sand dunes, and the sky is a lovely dark orange color. Evre, unfortunately, is gone again. Layna and Demetri are still at each others' sides. Ash and Xavier eye me as I approach with Jasper still holding my hand. Then, I see Finnick, virtually invisible under the three girls on top of him, giggling their ugly ass heads off. I start to walk toward them, but then I remember Jasper still has my hand. I pull it lightly away, turn to him, give him the most pleasant smile I can manage right now, and stalk up to Finnick and his whores.

"Well, hey there," I say, almost sounding like a maniacal toymaker. I put my hand on Anabel's head and stand there nonchalantly. Ophelia and Jolie exchange glances, then nod to Anabel, who gets up, and leads them away. Good move.

I turn my attention to Finnick, crossing my arms at him. I raise one of my eyebrows questioningly. He sighs. "Look, Aury..." he begins. "I don't know what happened, but..."

"No need to explain," I interrupt. "You're hot. No one can change that." I laugh silently to myself, because what I'm saying is a complete antithesis what I'm thinking.

He takes my hand and pulls me closer to him. He locks his gaze on mine for a few moments, then leans down to kiss me. At the last second, though, I turn my head, and he kisses my cheek instead. He gives me a confused look. I just smirk at him, and walk away, gripping the knife in my hand tightly.

I manage to find a suitable place to settle down for the night, just far enough away from everyone else. I'm really not in the mood to hear their nighttime conversations of what it used to be like before all this. Instead, I lie in the sand, which is as comfortable as my own bed tonight, and stare blankly into the sky.

I don't know why the thought of Finnick as a prostitute is bothering me so much now. After all, I've known about it for over a year. And I've known he was a ladies' man from the day we met when we were kids. So why now? Why bother the shit out of me now? I close my eyes for a few seconds, only to open them again because of the feeling that someone is beside me. I turn my head.

"Hey, Aury," whispers Finnick. I don't respond. I just blink at him, smile slightly, and turn back to stare at the sky again. Finnick rolls onto his side and stares at me. His eyes, I must admit, are absolutely stunning in this lighting. "Something wrong?"

"No," I say simply. I roll onto my side facing away from Finnick. Not five seconds later, I see his face against, right in front of mine. He stares at me with those sea-green eyes again. I roll onto my back, but he's immediately there, playing with my hair like he always does. Or did. I close my eyes as his hands work away at my hair, doing God knows what. When I reopen them, I see that Finnick has actually managed to make a neat braid in my hair. I grin up at him.

"You know I love you, right?" he says, and I think I catch a hint of seductiveness in his voice. I don't respond, maybe because I don't know how to. So I just blink at him. "Because I do." Of course you do, Finnick. "Aury…" I shut my eyes for a second, then open them as Finnick locks his gaze on mine. And, once again, I'm absolutely amazed by how charming they can be. He leans over me and puts his hand on my cheek. "Never doubt that I do love you. And no one can change that." Then he adds, with a laugh, "No matter how sensual those other girls might be."

I can't help smiling at this. And then, I can't help thinking about what an unbelievable asshole Xavier was. Sure, Finnick might not have had the best past. But screw the idea that he might be right. Mine and Finnick's relationship isn't one that has to be shared with everyone, and he didn't have to go telling me how to handle it. I hate when people do that. They tell me what to do like they're my mother, and then they actually expect me to listen.

I suddenly sit up, grab Finnick's face between my hands, and kiss him. He takes me in his arms and pulls me so close to him that I've basically got him between my legs. We sit there kissing for a good ten minutes, give or take a few, and then I get to my feet. I look behind me to where Xavier is sleeping, like a defenseless baby. I grin sadistically and turn back to Finnick. I kiss him lightly on the head, and stalk over to Xavier.

When I'm standing a few inches from him, I contemplate how I should wake him up. There's the classic kicking him in the side, or I could get really mean and jab him with one of my spears. I decide to go with the former, and I kick Xavier hard in the side. His eyes flick open and he sits up.

"What the hell is your problem?" I roar, grabbing hold of Xavier's shirt. His eyes widen, then narrow at me.

"What are you talking about?" he asks with an edge in his voice.

"You had the nerve to bring up shit that does not need to be brought up!" I say, still keeping a tight grip on his shirt. He claws at my hand, but I refuse to let go. I'm enraged.

"What?" Xavier says. He scratches his head, then says, "Oh! I know what you're talking about." He pries my fingers from his shirt and stands up, brushing himself off. "That little conversation we had about Finnick, right?"

"Shut it, Xavier!" I growl, shoving my face right up to his. He may have at least a head of height over me, but I don't care. "What were you hoping to accomplish when you said all of that? Did you think it would make me love him less? Or did you just want to start fights? Or, did you think you could actually get me to kill him before you had to." I cross my arms. "Is little Xavier afraid Finnick Odair might steal someone from him?" I'm mocking him now, and I feel extremely satisfied.

"Actually, I was hoping that you would see through him and go for someone else, who hasn't had more lovers than anyone could ever count," Xavier sneers.

"Like who?" I hiss. But I know where he's going with this. And I know what my reaction will have to be.

"Like me, maybe," he says. I expected his voice to be gentler, but it's not. Maybe he meant for it to come out gently, but it doesn't. He just sounds pushy now. "I mean, come on, I'm still a virgin, unlike some."

"You're such an asshole!" I yell. By this time, after all this yelling and screaming, I'm surprised no one else has woken up. "Stop bringing it up!"

"Not until you stop being so stupid and realize that when something good comes after you, you should take it," he says, running his fingers through his hair. He comes toward me and puts his arm around me. "Come on," he whispers. "Just once, while Finnick isn't watching?"

Xavier is an idiot. Finnick has probably been watching this. Xavier leans in, about to kiss me, but I slip out of his grip before he can, just like I did to Finnick in the Training Center over a year ago. Except, this time, unlike the time in the Training Center, I don't say, "Not a chance". Instead, I say, "Go to hell", which, if you think about it, isn't the worst thing I could have said.

"That's not very nice," he tells me, which only pisses me off more. He grabs my arm in an iron grip and pulls me to him again. I'm actually really shocked that Finnick hasn't intervened yet. Maybe he thinks I can handle the whole thing myself. Right now, though, I could use his help.

"Do you think I give a shit?" I demand, yanking my arm from him.

"Aury," he says, advancing toward me again. I take a step back, but he grabs me again, and honestly, I'm about to run him straight through with one of my knives. "Once. Just once. One night together, and then, you can be free."

Normally, I don't get this way around guys. But this, what Xavier just said, has pushed me over the edge. Surprisingly enough, I don't lash out at him. I use my voice instead. "I can't be 'set free'!" I growl through gritted teeth. "I come and go as I please, not when some asshole Peacekeeper tells me to." _Screw this, _I think. _Screw using only words. _So I punch him in the face.

Then, something happens that I never expected to happen. Xavier slaps me. Right across the face. I crumple to the ground because of the force behind it. I look up at Xavier, my hand on my cheek, and I grab one of the knives from my boot. I swear, I'm about to make him wish he were never born, but there's no need. Because Finnick already has him pinned to the ground. I catch a glimpse of his face, and he looks absolutely terrifying. His face is illuminated menacingly by the moon, and his eyes look like they're on fire, despite the fact that they're green.

I've never seen Finnick Odair this enraged. I've seen him angry, but never enraged. He gets a handful of Xavier's shirt and hauls him off the ground. Now, Xavier is dangling a good five inches off the ground, and clawing vainly at Finnick's hand. I try to move. I want desperately to be the one to make Xavier pay for what he just did. But my muscles won't budge. Maybe it's the shock of seeing Finnick in the state he's in now.

For a minute, Finnick and Xavier take turns cursing at each other. Then Finnick throws Xavier to the ground, which sends a puff of sand flying up around him. A few punches here, a couple of kicks there, and then I see Xavier lying in the sand. He could be dead, but I know better than to wish for something that great, because nothing that great would ever happen.

Finnick runs over to me and cradles me in his arms like I'm a toddler. I usually hate this stuff, but right now, I don't have the energy to protest. I close my eyes and press my forehead against his chest as his arms tighten around me. I glance up, and I see that finally, everyone is starting to stir. They're eyes widen when they see Xavier lying there like that, and they widen even more when they see me practically hiding in Finnick's arms.

"What...what the hell...what happened?" Layna gasps out.

Somehow, I manage to get to my feet, after Finnick kisses my head. I walk slowly over to Xavier, who is, unfortunately, alive, and I prod him with my foot. Then I turn to face Layna and the rest of them. "Xavier here thought it would be fun to mess with me," I tell them. "So I punched him in the face, he slapped me, and obviously, Finnick got to him before I did." Then I add, in the most frightening voice I've ever used, "Because if it had been me that had the chance to get to him, he'd be dead. So, maybe you all should thank Finnick."

"He hit you?" asks Jasper. I nod, and then, kick Xavier. I can't help myself. "And Finnick beat him up?" I nod again.

"Xavier always was an ass," Anabel tells me. "I'm glad someone finally stood up to him."


	58. Part 4: Separating

Just as Anabel finishes her sentence, Xavier makes an awful gurgling sound, and his eyes flick open, burning, despite his current body state. He's pretty bruised. He manages to pull himself into a crawling position, which makes him look even weaker in my opinion. He coughs for a minute, then glares at Finnick.

"What the hell?" he says. "What the hell was that for?"

For a moment, there's silence. Maybe because everyone is still in shock of what just took place. Their eyes are wide as they watch Xavier cough some more, then they narrow dangerously. Jasper walks up to him and kneels in front of him.

"I think you know," he hisses. "You're probably lucky you aren't dead right now, because I'm sure Finnick would have had no problem in killing you."

"Damn right," I hear Finnick growl behind me.

Xavier shuts up, but only for a minute. Then he's spitting curses at all of us, and trying his hardest to get to his feet. When he finally does, he just falls right back down. He lets out a few more coughs, and then, I'm sure he's dead.

I poke him with my foot a few times, and the only response I receive is a low moaning coming from his mouth. I can't say I don't feel bad for him, but I don't have any intentions of helping him either.

And there's no need. Because not fifty yards away from us stand a huge pack of those heron mutts we saw when we first arrived here. I motion to everyone, their heads turn quickly, and then, we're bolting in the opposite direction of them. As they chase us, a few of them stop at Xavier and start to tear away at him. I didn't like that guy, I even might have hated him, but he shouldn't have died that way.

I soon start to hear the quick, uneven breathing of everyone beside and in front of me. We're running out of energy, and the mutts are quickly gaining on us. Without even thinking, I hurl the knife in my hand at one of the mutts. It catches it right in its neck, and it falls with a sickening death cry.

Suddenly, the rest of them stop. They stand over the dead body of the mutt, raise their heads, and howl like wolves to the moon. We slow our pace until we're barely jogging, and then, we stop completely.

"This...this is your fault!" I hear Ophelia screech. I whip my head to face her, but she isn't talking to me. She's hissing at Finnick, who's looking at her like she has three heads. "Xavier didn't have to die! He could have lived! But you had to beat him into the ground!"

"Ophelia, let's be reasonable," Evre snorts, crossing her arms. "Xavier would have killed Aury if Finnick didn't do what he did."

"Better her than him," Ophelia shouts back.

Now we're fighting amongst ourselves? This is just perfect. We're in an arena, basically fighting for our lives, and we start hating each other. This is exactly what Snow wants. He wants us at each other's throats.

"Ophelia, just calm down," Ash says gently. "We'll get through this."

"Don't be an idiot, Ash," Anabel mutters. "We're in an arena. People die in arenas. There's no way we're all getting out of this."

I hate to admit it, but she's right. There's no way all of us are coming out of this alive. Snow doesn't want it that way. And he always gets his way.

"If that's the way you feel, maybe you should just get out," Layna snaps to Anabel. "If you've already lost hope, then just leave."

Maybe it's dehydration. Maybe it's the fact that we aren't living through this. Maybe it's even the thought of having to kill any of us. But either way, Anabel nods and turns away. We watch her as she goes, vanishing into the sand dunes. I feel Finnick's hand on my chin, pushing my gaping mouth closed.

"I can't believe she did that," I tell him. "Shouldn't we...go with her?"

"Why?" Demetri asks. "She's fine on her own." He shakes his head and turns his back on me.

"Either way, someone should go with her," Ash puts in. I look at him. He glances up at me. Maybe Ash loves Anabel. Cute.

"Like who?" Jolie hisses. "You? Go right ahead if you want."

Ash hesitates for a minute, then nods as Anabel did, and leaves. This is going to get worse before it gets better. We're splitting up, and odds are, we're going to kill each other if the situation presents itself. I feel my jaw drop again. This is terrible.

"Get out." I whip around and see Ophelia glaring at Finnick. However angry she may be, she still looks like she's on the verge of tears. "You caused Xavier's death."

"I didn't-" Finnick begins to protest.

I walk up behind him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Finnick," I say quietly. "If she wants us out, then we'll go."

"Did I say anything about you leaving?" Ophelia hisses, turning on me.

"If Finnick is going..." I trail off. I know she gets what I mean.

"Fine," she says. "But if I see either of you after this, I promise I will kill you."

I put my face in my hands. This is exactly like the arena. It's exactly like what would happen in the actual Games. We're turning on each other, like a Career pack would. And now, we're going to kill each other. Just like in the Games.

I tug Finnick along with me as I turn to leave. He follows without objecting. "Wait." Layna puts her hand out in front of me. "I'll come with you." She doesn't look at me. I wonder why she's offering to come... maybe it's because she feels obligated to me as I do to her and Demetri. "We'll live longer with three of us."

"Four," Demetri says, putting his hand on Layna's shoulder. And then I think, maybe they do like each other. Cute.

"I don't give a shit how many of you follow them," Ophelia roars. "Just get out! And just know that I will kill you the next time I see any of you." I start to wonder is Ophelia might not be entirely sane, like Tex.

Layna pushes us all forward, and pretty soon, Ophelia, Evre, Jasper, and Jolie aren't in view anymore.

_ What have we just done? _


	59. Part 4: Bombs

I don't know how long we walk, because the next thing I see when I open my eyes is the sun above my head. I push myself into a sitting position and glance around. We must have collapsed while walking. Layna and Demetri are lying together in somewhat awkward uncomfortable looking positions, and Finnick is sprawled out on his stomach, looking pretty wasted. I scoot over to him and shake him until he wakes up. I do the same to Layna and Demetri.

I have absolutely no idea what I was thinking when I obeyed Ophelia and left the group. Maybe I was delirious from dehydration, which is taking an extreme toll on my body right now. I'm surprised I'm not dead yet. Finnick drapes his arm over my shoulder, but, once again, I shrug him off because it's too hot to have direct contact with another person right now. Instead, I kiss him lightly on the cheek.

The heat right now is almost unbearable, and I feel like I'm going to pass out if I don't get water soon. It's funny how the temperature drops to below freezing at night and skyrockets during the day. I shake my head, which doesn't help my lightheadedness.

"Water," I hear Demetri mumble. Water, indeed. We'll die without it. Maybe that's what Snow's plan is, to kill us off with dehydration.

I slump down to the ground, not able to stand any longer. Without even thinking about it, I start to dig at the sand. I dig for about ten minutes, which is pure agony, and finally, the sand becomes moist. Comforted by the fact that I was right to think there would be water underground, I continue to dig faster. Pretty soon, water is slowly pouring from the hole. I grin at my success. I hear Layna laughing hysterically, and I feel Finnick's hand on my shoulder.

I don't even consider the fact that this water is dirty. I take a palmful of the liquid and shovel it into my mouth. It spreads over my tongue, instantly wetting my entire mouth, and I sigh at the relief it brings. Seeing the utter joy the water brings to me, Layna, not even bothering to use her hands, presses her lips into the sand and drinks the water as best as she can.

For how long this goes on, I have no idea. Maybe an hour, maybe even longer. All I know is that the relief of finally having liquid in my body is pure heaven.

"How did you know there would be water underground?" Demetri asks.

I shrug. "I didn't," I reply.

Not two seconds after I say this, I see a flash of bright red hair. I blink twice, trying to refocus my eyes, and I see Anabel, sprinting in the opposite direction of us. I whip my head around and see Ash doing his best to follow her. He's holding his leg, which is now as red as Anabel's hair, and his arm is hanging uselessly at his side. He runs past me- actually, he limps- and is intercepted by Finnick.

"What's wrong?" he demands, laying both hands on his Ash's shoulders.

Instead of using words, Ash lets out a blood curdling cry of pain and falls into Finnick's arms. I rush over to them. I shake Ash frantically, even slapping him a bit, but he doesn't stir.

"I…he's…" I stammer, clutching my hair between my fingers.

"Ash is…" Finnick tries to finish my sentence. He lets out a long sigh and lays Ash's body on the sand.

"He's dead," I finally wail. Honestly, I'm upset. I may have only known Ash for a short amount of time, but he was a genuinely good person. His death is not a good sign, either, because if he just died, then soon, we're all going to die. Snow is probably watching this right now, laughing, and planning how to kill the rest of us off, probably one by one.

I drop down next to Ash's body and gently stroke his hair. Suddenly, I'm yanked off my feet and half carried, half dragged away from his body. I let out a shriek, and then I notice what we're running from. Or straight into.

Mines. Bombs. They're everywhere, and they're exploding all around me. I get my footing back and run along with Finnick at my side, refusing to let go of my hand. I wish he would, though. It would make it easier to cover myself from the sand being sprayed at my face from the bombs.

I catch a glimpse of Anabel's red hair, and then, to her misfortune, she triggers a bomb, and is blown into the air. I shut my eyes tightly, so I don't have to see the remains of her body falling to the ground. I press my free hand to my face, but keep running. Not that I have a choice, since I'm basically being dragged.

"We can't-" I hear Demetri start to speak, but he's cut off by a loud explosion. He starts again. Explosion. The sounds ring against my ears, and I quickly cover them, though this does almost nothing.

I move my hands away from my ears, trying to make out what Demetri is saying. I start to scream to him, nothing in particular. I just try to reach him in any way that I can, because now, there are puffs of black smoke rising up all around me, and it's getting harder to see or breathe.

"Demetri!" I scream. "Demet-" I'm cut off my the loudest explosion yet. And, to my utter shock and misfortune, it throws me back against the ground, and I lose consciousness.


	60. Part 4: Three Deaths in Three Hours

"If she's dead...I swear...I don't know how I'll..."

"Quiet, Finnick! She's fine."

"Fine? She got blown up!"

"But she's alive, isn't she? She'll be fine."

"Shut up! I could kill you right now."

My eyes twitch open, and the first face I see is Finnick's. He stares at me for a moment, then leans down and kisses my forehead.

"See?" I hear Demetri say, gentler than I expected. "She's fine."

"Demetri, let's be honest," Layna says. "She's not 'fine'. She got blown up, like I said before."

"She's alive," he snaps. "She's just a little...battered."

My eyes widen, which brings a sigh of relief from the others, probably because they now know at least I'm functioning properly. "Battered?" I croak. I try to sit up, but fail miserably. My back slams against the ground again. I notice that it's incredibly hard to breathe. Each intake of breath feels like I'm inhaling rocks. I start coughing hoarsely, which hurts like hell.

"You're...you're arm...and, well, you're neck..." Layna runs her fingers gingerly along my neck and along my right arm. I run my own hand across my neck, and realize what she means. My neck is burnt badly and my arm is bleeding and burnt. Great.

I examine the faces of the others carefully, and I notice that they're just as beaten up as I am. Layna has a long gash running along her entire face. Demetri looks like he's about to faint and he has cuts and bruises covering his body. And Finnick chest has several burns, and his arms and face are blackened by the smoke. I try to sit up again, succeeding this time, and Finnick wraps his arms around me.

"Are these all the blemishes I have?" I ask sarcastically, rubbing my bleeding arm. "Not so bad."

"You were right in the middle of that explosion," Layna tells me. "I'm surprised that's all you came out with. A burnt neck, and a broken, mangled arm."

It's broken? I look down at my arm again, carefully wipe away the blood, and I notice she's right. I shrug. If she hadn't said something, I might have never even noticed. "It doesn't hurt too bad," I say.

"Nevertheless, you probably shouldn't exert yourself too much," Demetri suggests.

"We're in an arena, Demi," I say. _Demi, _I think. I grin to myself. _I like it. _I don't know how I manage to pull all these nicknames out of thin air.

"She doesn't really have a choice," Layna agrees. Then she grins mischievously. "Demi."

"Laynie," he shoots back.

"This is cute," Finnick murmurs in my ear. He kisses my cheek, then my burning neck, then my shoulder, which has blood on it.

I run my fingers through his hair and kiss him. I push myself to my feet, unsteady at first, given that I was just unconscious. Finnick grabs my waist, steadying me, and glances at me with his charming sea-green eyes. I would never in my life admit this to him, but they make me melt. I quickly look away, mainly because I can feel my cheeks begin to redden. He kisses me once more, and lets go of my waist.

I stroll over to Layna and Demetri, who are engaged in their own little conversation. What it's about, I have no idea. Some sort of technical stuff that flies right over my head. "How long was I unconscious?" I ask reluctantly, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.

"A few hours," Layna tells me. "Maybe two."

"Oh," I say. "Good." It's not as long as the days I was practically dead to the world because of that death venom the Peacekeepers were using on me.

"Oh, Aury, I think you already know this, but Anabel died as well," Demetri says gently. "And we...we had a small encounter with the others."

"Others..." I echo. Oh. He means Ophelia, Jasper, Jolie, and Evre. I give Demetri a serious look. "What happened?"

"Nothing much..." he says, looking at his hands. "We had a little...confrontation. And...Jolie died. Or...she was killed."

"How?" I ask, taking a seat next to Demetri. "Which one of you did it?"

"None of us," Finnick says, sitting next to me. "It was Ophelia. Don't ask me why, but she did."

I ponder on why Ophelia would have a motive to kill Jolie. Maybe she was jealous of Jolie, for whatever odd reason. Jealousy can make you do terrible things. Maybe she just lost it and took it out on Jolie. Or maybe it's like what I thought before, and Ophelia isn't entirely sane.

"And then what happened?" I say. I hate having to be caught up on all the drama like this.

"Jasper convinced Ophelia and Evre to let us live," he says, running my fingers through his hair. "Not that they could have really killed us anyway." I grin at him, because it's true.

"Too bad I had to miss all the action," I say jokingly. I playfully ruffle Finnick's hair and get to my feet, helping Demetri and Layna do the same.

"Don't ask me where we're supposed to go now," Layna says. "Because I don't know. This isn't like the regular Games, where we're looking for someone to kill."

After a minute of silence, Demetri says in a cold voice, "Why don't we?" I look at him curiously. "Why don't we hunt them? Jasper and Evre and Ophelia, I mean. We'll kill them off. They would do the same to us, after all."

"We can't do that..." I tell him.

"Why not?" he demands, whipping around to face me. "They would do the same to us! They're probably hunting us right now!" He glances frantically over his shoulders, like a paranoid little kid. "They could be watching us."

I push him into a sitting position. "I think you should relax for a little," I suggest.

"No, we can't relax now," he objects, standing back up. "We...we have to. It's the only way we'll make it out. I know that not all of us are going to make it..." He starts to pace in circles, muttering to himself.

Suddenly, I hear an sickening sucking sound, and Demetri is pulled under the sand. I don't have time to react before I'm shoved aside and Layna throws herself on the ground, scraping at the sand with her hands. She's screaming her head off now, shoveling the sand away, trying to get to Demetri. But he's gone. Probably dead by now. I feel a strong sense of grief wash over me. Demetri was, after all, one of my friends when I most needed them. And he was all around a genuinely good-hearted person.

I put my face in my hands. I feel Finnick's arms wrap around me, and I huddle close to his chest. I hear Layna letting out a mix of a sob and a wail. I pity her, because I know that she loved Demetri, and now he's gone. I don't know what it would be like to lose Finnick. The thought makes me huddle even closer to his chest, and I feel his grip on me tighten.

After a few moments of sobbing uncontrollably, Layna quiets down and lays down, curling into a ball. Finnick kisses my head, and I go over to Layna. I sit beside her and lay my hand on her shoulder, which seems to calm her down more. She soon drifts into sleep, and Finnick sits down beside me. I lie down next to Layna, and Finnick lays next to me, pulling my head onto his chest.

The two seem to have no trouble falling asleep. Given how many sleepless nights I've had in arenas, I'm not surprised sleep doesn't come to me. It's at this time that I realize that my arms hurts. I didn't expect it wouldn't; it's broken, after all. And I realize that my neck feels like the sun is constantly beating down on it. I'm in physical pain, but it's nothing compared to the pain in my heart and mind.

Ash is dead. Anabel is dead. And worst of all, Demetri is dead. Three deaths in one day. Rather, three deaths in three hours. That should never happen. Those people did not need to die.

After an hour of staring at the sky, I realize, they died because of me. They died because they helped me escape. They were escaping themselves as well, but if I hadn't been part of their operation, they would never have been thrown in this arena. They would stil be alive, and they would be free.

Tears flow freely now. Not because of one thing in particular, but because of everything. I'm in an arena, fighting for my life. I'm in an arena, fighting for my life, along with the love of my life and the closest thing I have to a best friend at the time. Three people died today in three hours. More of us are bound to die tomorrow. This isn't right. This shouldn't be happening. But it's only happening because of me. They died because of me. We're here because of me.

A sudden realization comes to mind. This is my fault, but I didn't cause it. President Snow did. He killed those people. He killed Ash and Anabel and Demetri and even Xavier. He killed them all. Because he's a monster. Because he's President Snow. And he needs to pay for what he's done. President Snow needs to die.


	61. Part 4: One Group

The sound of shallow breathing is what wakes me the next morning. I open my eyes quickly and see Layna's gray eyes staring at me like a cat's. I grin at her and wipe the sleep from my eyes. Then I look at Layna, searching for any signs of distress. There's none. I'm surprised. After the fit she threw yesterday, I thought she would still be going crazy over Demetri's death.

"Layna..." I say carefully, fearing that speaking at all might send her into hysteria. "How are you?"

"Fine," she replies brightly. I narrow my eyes suspiciously at her. "What?"

"Nothing," I shrug. "I just thought...you know, after...after Demetri died, you-"

"What?" she gasps. She puts her hand to her head. "Demetri is dead?" I see her eyes fill with tears.

"Well...yes," I say reluctantly. "He died yesterday."

As I expected would happen, Layna starts to scream and cry again. I can do nothing for her expect lay my hand on her shoulder as she sobs and huddles into another ball. I sigh. How can she not remember he lover's death? Maybe she didn't want to remember it, and so just acted like she didn't. Maybe she really didn't remember anything from yesterday.

"Is she okay?" Finnick asks as his arms wrap around my waist.

I nod unconvincingly. "She'll be alright," I tell him. "But I don't think she remembers anything from yesterday."

"Doesn't surprise me," he shrugs. He kisses my neck, which is still burnt and hurts like hell. He gingerly runs his hand along my broken arm. "Does it hurt?"

"Not too much," I lie. I honestly don't think it's completely broken. Maybe it's just fractured. I can still move it a bit, and if it was broken, I wouldn't be moving it at all. But it still hurts.

"Whatever you say," he whispers in my ear.

I laugh and turn my attention back to Layna, who's still huddled in a tight ball. I start talking about nothing at all to her, and she calms down. She stands up and glances around, shaking her head.

"Come on, Layna," I say gently, taking her hand.

I begin to lead her away from the sight of Demetri's death. She follows without question, or even a word. I don't know where I'm planning on taking her and Finnick. I just want to get them both away from the scene of a friend's death.

For a while we walk towards nothing in particular. We take a few rests and dig for water, we talk a bit. Well, Finnick and I talk. Layna just sits there, picking at her nails and staring at the sand. I know that something in her mind must have snapped, and I feel terrible that I can't do anything to help her.

"Hey...Aury," says Layna, tugging on my dress like a child.

"What?" I say, still leading her away from Demetri's death scene.

"I see them," she says vaguely.

"Who do you see, Layna?" I ask.

"I see Evre and Ophelia and...uh, Jasper," she tells me, tugging even harder on my dress. I don't turn to look where she's telling me, since she's probably just halucinating. "They're right over there."

"Okay, Layna," I say patiently.

"No, Aury...They're over there. Look." She puts her hand on my shoulder and shakes me.

"Okay, Layna. I see them." I shake my head. Lack of water and the death of someone you love does things to your head, I guess.

"Aury, she's not kidding!" Finnick says, gripping my shoulders and turning me roughly to where Layna is pointing. And, sure enough, there's Evre, Ophelia, and Jasper. I don't think they see us, but that doesn't really matter. They'll see us soon, since there's no place to run or to hide.

"Well, what do you want to do about it?" I demand, not meaning to sound as hostile as I do.

"Nothing to do," he replies calmly, running his hand down the arm that isn't broken.

"If they're looking for a fight, they can have one, but I'm not sure how well I'll hold out," I tell him, nodding to my arm.

"Don't worry about it," he says casually. I scoff at him and turn my attention back to Evre, Ophelia, and Jasper, who seem to have noticed us right now. With my non-broken arm, I grab a spear hanging on my back and grip it tightly in my hand. I doubt my broken arm will do well in a confrontation, though.

"What should we do?" Finnick hisses in my ear.

I shrug. "Stand our ground, I guess," I reply. No sense in running like cowards, especially if President Snow is watching this.

We stand like statues, waiting for them to approach us. When they do, they don't look hostile. Well, Evre and Jasper don't. Ophelia looks like she's ready to slit someone's throat, and her lips are the color of blood. I wonder is she's been drinking any recently.

For a few minutes, we stare each other down. No one moves, no one talks, no one even dares to breathe. I flick my eyes from Jasper to Evre to Ophelia. They look just as beaten up as we probably do.

"How's the desert been treating you?" I finally ask, tired of the silence.

"Not well," Evre answers, rubbing her bruised forehead.

"Where's Jolie, Ophelia?" I ask, narrowing my eyes to the spiky haired woman.

"Don't start," she growls. "I could kill you right now."

"Then why don't you?" I say in an almost innocent voice. I bat my lashes at her.

She glares at me, but says nothing. Jasper puts his hand on her shoulder and she relaxes. "Where were you headed?" he asks.

"No where in particular," Finnick replies. "But...Demetri...he-"

"Died?" Jasper finishes his sentence. He casts his eyes down to the ground. "That's too bad. Demetri was a good person."

This sends Layna into another fit of hysteria. She starts to sob and scream, and I wonder if she'll ever be entirely right again. I go to her and hug her tightly until she stops. Then she drops to the gorund and buries her face in her hands. "What the hell is wrong with her?" Ophelia says harshly.

"She's just upset over Demetri," I say back defensively.

"Well, shut her up," she tells me.

I glare at her as Evre steps up in front of me. "Would you mind...staying together again? You know, as one group?"

"Not at all, Evre," I say gently, fearing that any other tone might cause her to fall back into her own little world that she has.

She hugs me and glances at Ophelia and nods his head, but Ophelia glares at her. "I'm not staying with these people," she hisses. "Especially not him." I realize she's talking about Finnick.

"We don't really have a choice, do we?" Evre says impatiently. "We're staying with them."

Ophelia scowls, but, surprisingly, says nothing else.

_Well, _I think, _being one group again is better than being hunted by them. _


	62. Part 4: End: Death in my Midst

**A/N: So, I cannot BELIEVE that I forgot to put this part in! It's so crucial to the whole story. Anyway, I know it took me forever to realize that it was missing, so sorry about that. ENJOY THIS VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY. :)**

* * *

The sun dips behind the sand dunes and everyone settles down for the night. I can't say I'm ecstatic about being one group again, given that Ophelia seems to have a personal grudge against Finnick and I. But being one group means that we aren't hunting each other like savages. This is better.

I lie back on the sand, my arms comfortably under my head, waiting for the sleep that will never come. I stare up at the moon, and suddenly, I'm overcome with a strong sense of grief. For my family. My dead family. President Snow killed them. All of them, expect for Heron. But he planned on killing him as well. Now, Snow needs to pay for what he's done to both Heron and I.

As I stare at the stars and the moon, I can almost hear Lily saying, "_Look, Aury! This is the same moon that Finnick Odair is looking at right now!". _I would only shake my head and tell her that she's hopelessly obsessed with an unatainable man. I feel tears stream from my eyes and I wipe them away impatiently. What Lily wouldn't give to be in my position right now, as Finnick's love. And what Plover wouldn't give to have a chance to beat Finnick senseless for falling in love with his little sister.

I put my hands to my face. I wish terribly that they were still alive. I wish that they hadn't been killed in that bombing. The bombing that was ordered by President Snow. I never thought someone could be so heartless and cruel.

"Hey, Aury," I hear someone call my name. I abruptly sit up and whip my head around.

Ophelia is glowering over me, holding a sword tight in her hands, and is about to bring it down and run me straight through. As she plunges the sword downward, I roll out of the way and jumpy to my feet, quickly grasping one of my spears. "What the hell?" I shriek.

Ophelia says nothing, only lunges at me, wildly slashing her sword at me face and stomach. I dodge everyone, clutching my broken arm. She manages to cut me just over my eyebrow, and shouts in triumph. My mind comes to a conclusion: Ophelia is insane. Just like Tex.

"Ophelia!" I hear Evre scream. "What are you doing?"

Evre lunges at Ophelia, trying to block her blows to me with her bare hands, which obviously isn't a smart thing to do. Her palms are badly cut when she turns to me and pushes me back further, away from the raging lunatic.

The next thing I see is Jasper pushing Evre out of the way of Ophelia and shoving me to the ground. I close my eyes for a short second, not wanting to look into the wild eyes of Ophelia, and when I reopen them, I see blood splattered over her face.

"Who did you kill?" I demand in the most non-human voice I've ever used. "Who's blood is that?" These are extremely inhumane questions to have to ask.

Ophelia laughs and plunges her sword downward into the poor, bloody, magled body that belonged to Jasper. I scream in response to the sight of him, and I completely lose it. Blood makes me go insane. I hurl the spear in my hand at Ophelia, and it catches just below her ribs. It doesn't stop her, though. She merely yanks it out of her body and tosses it aside like nothing ever happened.

"Aury!" I hear Finnick yell.

Without thinking, I snatch one of my knives from my boot and throw it at Ophelia, aiming for her skull. But, given my current, terrified state, it only punctures her shoulder. I take the short moment that she tugs it out of her skin as an opputunity to get the hell away from her. Finnick yells for me again, and I run to him. I feel his arms wrap around me, then I feel him shove me to the ground, landing face first in the sand. I lift my head, gagging, and glance around for Layna, who I'm surprised hasn't taken part in this event. I see her, and she's curled up in a ball, like always, shaking like a leaf. I scramble over to her and shake her.

"Layna!" I yell, trying to reach her and pull her back into reality. "Layna! Come on!" She flicks her eyes to me, blinks a few times, and sits up. She shakes her head and manages to get to her feet. I'm not sure what she's planning on doing, if anything, but at least she's stable enough to run if need be.

I turn my attention back to Ophelia, who's laughing maniacally over Jasper's body. I see Evre trembling behind her, staring at his body, wide-eyed. She shuts her eyes tight and pulls her knees to her chest. I see Finnick, staring at Ophelia, probably deciding what to do next. Run, fight, yell, all three? Ophelia turns her head to Finnick, laughs once, and lungs for him. I scream in protest, and am about to intercept her, but there's no need. Layna flashes by me and throws herself between Finnick and Ophelia, taking the full blow of her sword directly to the heart. She crumples to the ground, a silent moan escaping her lips as she takes her last breaths. I hear an awful cry of agony come from my throat as I race towards her. I kneel beside her and examine her eyes, staring sightlessly in the sky. She's dead.

Ophelia laughs again. I don't think I've ever been more afraid of someone in my life. Not even Tex. I slap my hand to my mouth, and utter a combination of a sob and a scream and a choke. I feel Finnick's arms encase me and pull me to my feet. I shut my eyes so tightly that it hurts as I hear another scream, which can only belong to Evre. I start making those awful choking screaming crying noises again as I feel my sanity slip further and further away.

I flick my eyes open and see Evre, bleeding heavily and lying in the sand. I can hear her sobbing and Ophelia laughing, which sends chills down my back. Every muscle in my body is telling me to flee the scene. But I can't move at all. Ophelia is a murderer. A vicious, cold blooded murderer. She's killed three people in less than ten minutes. She's insane. Insane with bloodlust.

"Why is she doing this?" I scream to Finnick.

"Because she wants to get out of here," he answers simply.

With this, Ophelia glares at Finnick. She doesn't make a move, only stares with piercing, horrible green eyes. All my senses go dead. I can't hear anything, only muffled yells. I can't see much, just blurry images. I can't move, until I'm pushed. Pushed with so much force that my head slams into the sand. I think I go unconscious, but it's only for about ten seconds. The next thing I feel is an excruciating pain in my lower stomach. I clutch is with my broken arm and feel blood spilling out of a large hole carved just below my ribs. I open my eyes wide, and stare up at Ophelia's menacing face. I see her lips curl as she laughs once again. I'm glad I can't hear her.

Then I see a bright glint of silver appear out of Ophelia's chest and a river of blood come from the wound. She looks down, then falls sideways. She could be dead. I don't know. I blink slowly. Once, twice, and then I see Finnick's face, staring at me, with tears streaming from his eyes. He's saying something; I don't know what. I can't hear him. I can't move at all. Maybe it's the pain. Maybe it's because I'm dying.

_I'm dying. _The terrible realization comes to mind as I fight the urge to fall into a sleep that I'll never wake up from again. I can feel nothing now. I can see nothing. I can hear nothing. I'm dying. As the last drops of life trickle out from me, all I can think is, "_My family...I'm coming home." _


	63. Part 5: Prologue: A Taste of Heaven

_ "Aury," my mother says gently, reaching out to take my hand. "I'm so glad your here." _

_ Where is here? A pure white room that is almost blinding because it's so bright. Clouds above my head the color of pale blue crystals. They don't seem real. Clouds below my feet the same color. It's beautiful here, and I cannot wipe the smile off of my face. _

_ "Aury!" Lily's small arms wrap around my waist. "You're home!" _

_ "I'm so proud of you, Aury." Father pats my back lightly, grinning down at me. _

_ "My little sister. Finally home, eh?" Plover hugs me tightly, squeezing the breath out of me. _

_ "Where's Heron?" I'm surprised that this is the question that escapes my lips. _

_ "Heron has not entered this life just yet," answers Mother. "He still has years to go." _

_ "He will miss you terribly," Plover adds. _

_ "Am I dead?" I ask quietly, glancing up and down at the clouds. _

_ "Yes," Father answers straightforwardly. _

_ "For now." I flick my gaze to Lily. What did she just say? I tip my head. "You're heart has stopped beating, and you've stopped breathing. But just for now." _

_ "What do you-" I begin. Plover hugs me to him and kisses my head. _

_ "Aury," he says in an almost angelic tone. "You were never meant to die at that girl's hands. You're going back." _

_ "Back where?" I gasp. _

_ "Aury, I love you," Lily tells me, hugging me around the waist again. _

_ "Where am I going back to?" I ask again, hugging her back. _

_ "Always remember that we're here, watching over you. Alright, Aury?" Mother kisses my forehead and drops my hand. _

_ "It's time." Father pats my back again and hugs me. "Go, Aury. It's time." _

_ "Time for what?" I say, beginning to panic. _

_ "Goodbye, little sister," Plover says. _

_ I feel them all slip away from me. I feel their hands slide off of me, and I see their eyes vanish behind a wall of white. I reach out to them and scream their names, but it's no use. They slip further away. I close my eyes. _


	64. Part 5: Alive

I jerk my head up as I feel a sharp electrical shock burn through my veins. I slam it back down and feel another shock. My eyes are forced open and a bright light is shone in each one. My arms are pierced with needles, and my legs are rubbed rapidly. I can't move at all.

"She's back!" I hear someone shriek.

"You got her back?" I hear someone else ask.

"She's alive!"

I'm alive? How? What the hell? I've died and come back to life more times that I'd care for. I try desperately to move, to talk, to scream, but I can't. I can only sit there and listen to all these people babble on about how I'm alive.

"Finnick! Call Finnick Odair in, will you?"

Someone does, and then I see bronze hair and green eyes race towards me. I can't feel him, but I can see him, wrap his arms around me. And I can also see someone pushing him off and telling him to be careful, because I'm "still fragile". Somehow, I find the power to move the muscles in my mouth, and I smile. This makes Finnick go crazy and he embraces me again, ignoring the person's warning of my fragility. I blink my eyes a few times, and I fall unconcious once again.

When I come to, I'm able to move again. Probably not a good idea, but I kick my feet around and thrash my arms back and forth to ensure that I'm in total control of my body. I don't both trying to sit up. Considering I died, it's probably not a good idea. I run my hands along my cheeks, realizing that they're perfectly smooth. The Capitol's work, no doubt. I move my hands to my stomach, where I vaguely remember being stabbed. To my utter shock and joy, any signs of the wound seem to have been erased. I smile to myself, and I fall right asleep. Or maybe I fall unconscious. I can't tell.

The next thing I know, I'm in my room from the Training Center, with Finnick sitting next to me on my bed. "You're awake," he says.

"How long was I out?" I ask, my voice coming out sounding small and feeble.

"Believe it or not, about a month. Maybe a few days less," he replies.

A month? That's longer than I've ever been unconscious and practically dead to the world. "Have I missed anything terribly important?" I ask him.

"Caesar Flickerman wants to have an interview with me in a few days," he tells me, brushing my hair out of my face. "He's one of the people who thinks your dead. So I thought you might want to give him and Panem a little surprise and...you know, come with me to the interview."

I grin up at him. Of course I want to do that. Of course I want to show the world exactly what President Snow does.

The few days pass, and soon, I'm standing in my room with Czech. After getting over the shock that I'm actually alive, he manages to whip up a dress for my special appearance in Finnick's interview. It's a pale green silk dress that matches Finnick's eyes perfectly, which is nice. I can't hide the satisfaction of finally showing Panem what Snow has done. I can't imagine what people's reactions will be when I step out on that stage.

"Ready?" Czech asks me, taking my hand and kissing it.

"Absolutely," I answer.

He leads me down to the stage area, doing a remarkably good job of keeping me hiden from Caesar and the audience. Finnick sees me, kisses me, and saunters onto the stage where Caesar and the crowd is waiting. He shakes his hand and sits down.

"Finnick Odair," says Caesar. "Do you know why I brought you here tonight?"

"I can't say I do," Finnick answers easily, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, I just wanted to ask you, a few questions," Caesar tells him, patting his knee.

"Go ahead."

"Alright. Finnick, you weren't mentoring this year. You weren't even there to watch the Games in the Training Center. Can you tell us what you were doing during your time away from the Games?"

Finnick grins mischievously. "Nothing much, Caesar," he says. "Just doing my job."

"Oh, lovely!" says Caesar in a much too happy sounding voice. "Okay, Finnick. Now, I'd like to get into something I little more...emotional."

"Fire away, Caesar," he says, though I see his arms tense up.

"We all watched the 67th Games," Caesar begins slowly. "And we all saw that poor Aury girl be killed by District 7. What...how have you managed without her?"

Finnick sighs. "Actually, it's been easier than I thought it would be," he answers.

"Perhaps...is that because you have been preoccupied with your thousands of other lovers?" Caesar asks. He grins at the audience, which goes into a frenzy.

"No, Caesar, it's not," Finnick says. I feel Czech's hands on my shoulders, telling me it's almost time to go. "It's actually because...well, why don't I just show you?" He looks at me, beckons, and I hop onto the stage and stare into the sea of people.


	65. Part 5: Explaining the Story

"That's Aury!"

"How is she alive?"

"She's supposed to be dead!"

"I saw the video myself!"

"She was _killed_!"

"It can't be her."

"This has to be a joke."

These are just a few of the many things I hear as I stroll across the stage to Caesar, whose eyes look as though they're about to pop out of his head. Then, he actually keels over, and passes out. So Finnick stands up and kisses me, probably to prove that it really is me. Auramarina Marx. District 4.

"It _is _her!"

"Finnick wouldn't do that to any other girl!"

"Maybe he would, but this is different."

"She really is Aury!"

I pull away from Finnick and face the audience, some of which have fainted as well. I smile at them and wave. "I'm Aury Marx, as you all probably know," I begin. I pace across the stage, making eye contact with every audience member. "And you probably all thought I was dead." I hear shouts of agreement. "Well, I'm not." The audience gasps. I shake my head at them. "You see, our lovely president, President Snow, he created that video of me being murdered so that he wouldn't have to face the truth." I realize I could easily be arrested for saying this, but I don't care. People need to know what President Snow does.

"The truth is, he purposely put Finnick Odair into the arena a second time so that he would be able to sell his body for a higher price. I mean, let's face it, a man who has won the Games two times is obviously more desirable than a man who has won only once, right?" The audience roars in agreement. Idiots. "President Snow was set on killing me just so he could have Finnick crowned victor a second time, therefore, getting a higher price for him. But every attempt that he tried, he failed, because Finnick always saved me or intervened in some way. Finally, he got tired of watching me not be killed like he wanted, and came down into the arena to collect me in person. Understand? Snow knew that if he killed me, he couldn't have Finnick. So he didn't kill me. He only kept me hostage and used me as a weapon of choice against Finnick. My death video was a fake!"

It takes a second for the audience to comprehend my words. And when they finally do, they go into a complete rampage, shouting about how unfair that was on President Snow's part and how cruel he was to do that. This is exactly what I wanted. A rebellion. I've set the stage for a rebellion.

By this time, Caesar Flickerman has regained consciousness, and is still staring at me. I walk over to him and shake his hand, trying to tell him everything over the roaring, furious crowd. I feel Finnick's hand on mine as he pulls me away. "What are you doing?" I ask.

"We're leaving now," he tells me. "We're going back to District 4."

I grin up at him. We're going home. "How are we getting there?" I say.

He points to the sky, and I see a hovercraft floating over our heads. I glance back at Caesar, who is trying to calm the frenzied crowd, without success. I look back at the hovercraft. A ladder drops down from it, and Finnick grabs one of the rungs. I grab one as well. As the hovercraft begins to carry us off, I see one face that stands out among all the others.

President Snow. He doesn't look angry, or particularly upset. His face is expressionless, until he grins at me, and salutes me goodbye. The gesture sends chills down my back, but I don't care. I'm going back to District 4 with the love of my life.


	66. Part 5: Seven Years

It's been seven years since the night I revealed myself to be alive to Panem. I've long since been known as Auramarina Marx, the girl who Panem thought was dead. It's been disturbingly quiet. President Snow hasn't attempted to contact me in any way. I thought he would, given he heard everything I said that night.

Heron is alive and well. He's even married now, to a girl named Kendra. She's nice enough, I suppose. She's expecting a baby, a boy, as I've been told. He and Kendra live in their own house, and I live here in the Victor's Village. I'm surprised the mayor let me move here, considering I was never really a legitimate victor. But who am I to argue with him? I even mentor sometimes, when I can't avoid it. All of the tributes I've ever mentored were killed, unfortunately. So I don't really have any mentoring skills to be proud of.

One of the Games I did enjoy were the 74th Games. My tribute, Naomi, was killed in the bloodbath. I didn't expect she would make it far. But the real reason those Games were interesting was because of the two District 12 tributes, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. They went for this whole "star-crossed lover" approach, and I think that's what kept them alive. Their act looked very real, but if you've had as much experience with love as I have, you can tell when one of the two "lovers" are faking. It was a bit painful to watch, considering how much the Peeta boy honestly loved Katniss. He was even willing to kill himself with her. But the Gamemakers stopped them before they could commit. Good thing, too, because that Katniss seems like just the type of person we need to keep this revolution going.

As hard as it may be to believe, Finnick and I haven't gotten officially married yet. He told me we can't yet. I know why. It's because if word spread of Finnick Odair getting married, how would President Snow react? He would lose his personal prostitute, and he sure as hell doesn't want that. So, for now, Finnick and I have to settle for just being in love, not married. It doesn't really matter to me. Marriage is just a piece of paper. Finnick and I love each other. That's good enough for me.


	67. Part 5: END: The Third Quarter Quell

The 75th Hunger Games are here. It's the Third Quarter Quell, and in this Quell, all the tributes are previous victors, one male, and one female. I stand in the middle of the small crowd of victors, rigid, like a statue. I know I'm going to be picked. The odds never have been in my favor. Finnick comes to stand next to me. The new District 4 escort, some tall lady named Felicity, sticks her hand into the boys' reaping bowl first.

"Finnick Odair," she reads, and my heart breaks.

I scream Finnck's name as he mounts the stage, and I feel warm tears stream down my face. He told me to expect this, but I didn't want to. I couldn't. "Now, for the girls!" Felicity chirps.

I hold my breath. In a way, I hope it's me. I want to go with Finnick. "Annie Cresta!" Felicity reads. I turn my head frantically, searching for Annie, the poor girl who went mad after winning the 70th Games. We were friends before, and we still are now, even though she could be classified as mentally unstable.

I see Annie, bravely moving to the platform. She stops midway and starts to scream and cry and clutches her hair between her fingers. She drops to the ground and screams more and more. It hurts to see a friend like this, so I go over to her. I kneel next to her, put both hands on her shoulders, and announce, "I volunteer to go in Annie's place".

Finnick's eyes widen as I hug Annie goodbye, which only makes her more hysterical. Mags comes and leads her away from me as I ascend the stairs to the platform. I stand next to Finnick. I don't feel any fear or sadness. I'm sort of relieved, actually, that Finnick won't be going into the arena for a third time without me.

"Why did you do that?" he hisses to me.

I sigh. "I didn't want Annie to go back in the arena," I tell him. I lock my gaze on his. "And I didn't want you to leave without me."

The more I think on it, President Snow probably meant for this to happen. He probably rigged the reaping bowl to have Finnick be chosen, and probably knew that if Annie's name was picked, I would volunteer and be thrown back in the arena. I'm not surprised. He let us escape all those years ago. He could have ordered us to be immediately arrested. He even could have come to District 4 and had us killed. But he didn't. Because he wanted us in the Games again. He knew what he was doing when he announced this Quell. He knew perfectly well what would happen.

There is a bright side, though. Since Katniss Everdeen is the only female tribute from 12, she'll be in the arena as well. This is a good time to get something big started. A complete rebellion, maybe. Katniss is "the mockingjay" anyway. People look up to her because of her stunt in the 74th Games. She's the perfect person for this. She's the key to bring President Snow down. She's the key to finally make him pay for all the pain he's inflicted on all of us. I don't know how long the people of Panem have waited for her. And now, she's here, and she hates Snow as much as the rest of us. She's here. The perfect time to rebel is here. Finally.


End file.
